The Keep (University College) is a Grade I listed building in the County Durham local planning authority area, England. First listed on 6 May 1952. Keep, college. 33 related planning applications.
The Keep (University College)
- WRENN ID
- ancient-ledge-ebony
- Grade
- I
- Local Planning Authority
- County Durham
- Constituency
- City of Durham MP: Mary Kelly Foy (Lab)
- Country
- England
- Date first listed
- 6 May 1952
- Type
- Keep, college
- Address
- The Keep (University College), Palace Green, City of Durham, DH1 3RW
- OS grid reference
- NZ 273 423
- Coordinates
- 54.77539, -1.57566
- Source
- Historic England listing
Description
The Keep, now used as college study bedrooms, was built between 1345 and 1381 for Bishop Hatfield. It was rebuilt in 1839-40 by Salvin for the University. The structure is made of coursed squared sandstone with ashlar dressings and has an irregular octagonal plan. It features a high motte with two encircling retaining walls. The building has a high plinth with sloped coping, angle buttresses that are corbelled out to a parapet walkway, and irregular fenestration that mimics the original design. The windows include one, two, and three lights with stone mullions, some of which are square-headed and some have cusped lights; there are also some two-centred arched windows with tracery. The retaining walls, made of squared rubble, support the motte on the north, east, and south sides.
Local climate
The Keep (University College) receives an average of 790 mm of rain a year. This makes it drier than 58% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is lower than that of 96% of listed buildings.
It experiences an average of 41 freeze-thaw cycles a year, more than 79% of listed buildings. Of these, 24 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.
Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.
More on this building
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- No EPC on record for this property
- No sale records on file
- Related listed building consents — 33 applications
- Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
- Flood risk assessment
- Radon risk assessment
- Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
Matched applications, energy data and sale records are assembled automatically and may contain errors. Flag incorrect data.
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