Behrens Hall

Behrens Hall, formerly known as The Oaks, is a large house built between 1835 and 1838 for Robert Ogden, a cotton spinner. It is now part of a university hall of residence. The building features scored stucco on brick with sandstone ashlar dressings and has a hipped slate roof. It has a deep rectangular plan and is designed in a classical style, standing two storeys over cellars with three symmetrical bays. The stone plinth and broad pilasters on the outer bays create segmental-headed blank arches.

The ground floor includes a large pedimented stone porch accessed by seven steps, supported by four Ionic columns on a plinth. This porch has a moulded frieze and a pediment with an apex acroterion, protecting a wide square-headed doorway with double doors, an overlight featuring fan-pattern tracery, and round-headed side windows with margin panes that include roundels. There are also two sashed windows without glazing bars, each with engraved sills.

On the first floor, there are three 12-pane sashed windows, with the central window framed by a corniced architrave. The long return walls have various sashed windows, including a canted bay window on the ground floor of the right front room.

Inside, the entrance lobby features a screen with double doors and side windows, all with round-headed glazing similar to the side windows of the door. The entrance hall is pilastered, and there is a fine imperial staircase with elaborately decorated cast-iron balusters and wreathed mahogany handrails, illuminated by a glazed dome. The interior also includes panelled mahogany doors and architraves, some moulded plaster friezes, and original fireplaces.

Originally known as "The Oaks," the building was presented to the university, partly as a gift, by the Behrens family between 1906 and 1908.