Durham Castle College Tour | my experience living in halls at University College Durham!

Hi everyone, welcome back to Trees and Turtles! In today’s video, I’m taking you with me on a tour of Durham Castle, which is my college, and was my home in first year!
I post new content on lifestyle and productivity every day, so make sure to like and subscribe, and follow me on Instagram ( / imogenrodgersss )
PS: Since I didn't manage to show you the beautiful Tunstall Chapel, here's some more information and pictures: www.durhamworldheritagesite.c...
Timestamps:
00:00-00:48 Intro
00:49-01:22 Gatehouse + porters' lodge
01:23-02:06: Junction + Keep (including my old room!)
02:07-02:35: Clock Tower
02:36-03:53: Tunstall Gallery and Black Staircase
03:54-04:16: Bishops Dining Room
04:17-04:52: Hall Stairs, Minstrels Gallery and the Great Hall
04:53-05:11: The Lowe Library
05:12-05:31: Fellows Garden
05:32-08:22: Thoughts on living in Durham Castle

[@Lalalovemelikeyoudo-]

Really nice video🎉

[@treesandturtles]

Glad you liked it - thanks so much for watching!

[@JamesBillingsPhotography]

I seem to remember you showing me some wheelie bins too :)

[@treesandturtles]

yes those are next to Fellows Garden! Maybe I should have shown those in the video - it's not all dark academia vibes 🤣

[@JamesBillingsPhotography]

@@treesandturtles oh yes, everyone should see them 🤣

[@danielmaxazgour]

Great video, thanks for putting it together. My eldest is considering attending Durham University, so this was a nice peak at Durham Castle. I do have a question regarding student accommodation and would love to get a student's perspective. Based on an article I read on the BBC website back in Nov 2023, students were queuing up outside estate agencies in order to get rooms. Is the demand really that high? I'm considering investing in the area with the idea of providing very high quality private student accommodation (4-6 bedroom houses, modernised, fast internet, etc.), so your perspective would be greatly appreciated. Also, any areas most popular with the students taking private accommodation? And again, great video!

[@treesandturtles]

Thanks for watching! Yes, that article is true. I was lucky to be able to re-sign my second year house for third year, but there were some very long queues outside estate agencies for many students. Affordable and good quality student house with involved landlords are definitely in demand. Pretty much anywhere within walking distance of Durham city centre is popular - for example, the Viaduct, Claypath and Crossgate. Best of luck to your eldest in the university application process!

[@danielmaxazgour]

@@treesandturtles This is great - thanks again !

[@meow5332]

As you mentioned moving in and out every term, is that just castle or every college? Love the video 😊

[@treesandturtles]

It varies. In Castle, it was only for people who actually lived in the castle walls - for example, if you lived in another block like Kepier, you could stay over the holidays. I think it was a pretty Castle-specific requirement, because the castle is a museum and hotel out of term time. Again, do check with the college(s) you're applying to for the most recent rules, because it's been a minute since I was in first year! Thanks for watching!

[@ghostofminamoto2848]

Thank you so much for this tour! It really helped :) I am ranking my preferences and wanted to know how likely it is to get into Castle? I love history and am applying for Classics so being part of Castle is just my absolute dream. Is it worth putting it at the top of my ranking or am I unlikely to get in? I heard that the demographics lean in favour of the upper class too..

[@treesandturtles]

Glad it was useful! If you're ranking your college preferences, I would say that Castle is historically oversubscribed, it often gets the most applicants of any college at Durham. I put it at the top of my ranking and got in, but I will say it's often mostly luck. I remember talking to one of the JCR exec members in first year, who said that for every person who got into Castle, there were 27 who applied but didn't get in. I'm not sure how accurate this is, so take it with a pinch of salt! Castle has traditionally had a reputation for being posh, and you will definitely meet "posh" people there, but there's also a mix of people from many backgrounds, so please do not let demographics put you off! If you've got into Durham, you're good enough to be at Castle! Sorry for the long reply but I hope this was helpful! Happy to answer any more questions you have!

[@ghostofminamoto2848]

@@treesandturtles Thank you very much for your reply! That was definitely the quickest reply I have ever received on a YT channel, lol! That all makes sense and really helps. I guess maybe there's no harm in trying considering I have to rank all of the Colleges, do correct me if I am wrong. And it is good to hear that there is a mix of people, I don't mind the majority being "posh" people but just wary from what I've heard such people act like - especially when I come from a State school. No need to be sorry about it being long, I really appreciated it! :) I wanted to ask 2 distinctly different Qs. 1. Are there any colleges you can personally recommend other than Castle? I am a big fan of older architecture, love the whole formal dinners and gowns aesthetic as well as old and antique libraries. I am doing Classics as well so if you know any good for that, please let me know! 2. How often are formals? And do other colleges get to attend formals at Castle? I adore the formals at Castle and just wanted to know if I'd get to attend their formals too, albeit not as much but yes. I have nearly written a book haven't I! 😂

[@treesandturtles]

@@ghostofminamoto2848 You're very welcome, I'm glad I could help! Yeah it is a mix of people - one thing we do have at Durham is the 93% Club, which is a society for state school students - you might want to check them out! 1) If you're a fan of the older architecture and aesthetic, any of the Bailey colleges will do - think Chad's, Cuth's, John's - even Hatfield (jokes lol, it's a great college). Colleges on the hill tend to be more modern, although Mary's is very pretty and has some wonderful grounds. 2) Formals are once or twice a week - they were twice in my first year, then changed to once - will vary by college though. I think you can attend other colleges' formals as a paying guest even if you're not a college member - pro tip, make friends with someone at that college and get them to take you haha! I'm pretty sure members from other colleges can go to Castle formals, but it's been a while since I went to one, so the rules may change. Best of luck and I hope you get into Castle if that's what you decide to do!

[@ghostofminamoto2848]

Oo, the 93% Club does sound interesting! Thank you :) I am definitely going to put Bailey Colleges up there, Hatfield's pictures online sort of catfished me so am going to check a bit more. St. John's also has barely any options online. I really like Castle, St. Chad's and St. Hild and Bede's (though far) Oh wow! Do formals cost a certain amount of money (for entry and food)? I saw that St. John's had them for free, or at least something like that. I will definitely do my best to make friends with people from other colleges lol! I've heard stuff about Castle being deceptive in how a lot of people get sent to an "old red brick building" and that it's not worth it because of that. What are your thoughts? Thank you so so much, fingers crossed I can get into Castle - that'd be my dream. 😄

[@treesandturtles]

@@ghostofminamoto2848 You're so welcome! All of those colleges are nice. I've heard some complaints about some Hild Bede accom, but the same is definitely true of Castle. If you live in college and you're on a plan which includes catering, I believe formals are free, but you have to sign up. If you live outside the college/are not catered, you have to pay (it's not too expensive though, I think around £6 ish?) I'd say that's right. Most members of Castle college will never get to live in the actual castle. It houses about 50 freshers and 50 third years, out of roughly 750 undergrads, so you have a roughly 13% chance of living there at all during your degree, and about 6% as a first year. The other college accom blocks are Moatside (loud, good for parties) Bailey Court (meh), Owengate (lovely, cosy, would have been my second pref) and Kepier (nice but a very long way out of town and not catered afaik). Best of luck - I'm sure you can do it!!

[@user-tj3zq1dy4s]

For castle, are the seperate accommodations you mentioned next to the castle or I am a bit confused

[@treesandturtles]

Some of them are nearby (Bailey Court and Owengate are within 2 mins walk of the castle), Moatside is a bit further into the city centre. Kepier is quite a long way out of town.

[@richardonyema9772]

Are all of the same rooms for all colleges the same price, forgive the weird phrasing lol

[@treesandturtles]

College room costs usually vary by whether they're catered or not, rather than which college they're in. I think a catered room in one college would be the same price as a catered room in another college, but a non-catered room would be cheaper. The University has accom pricing guidelines for all colleges which attempts to standardise the experience a bit. Check out this article: www.palatinate.org.uk/durham-university-increases-college-accommodation-costs-by-6-3/ Disclaimer obvs: I haven't lived in college since first year so things may have changed, always best to check with the college you're applying to! Best of luck!

[@richardonyema9772]

@@treesandturtles thanks really appreciated 👍