University of Nottingham

Nottingham’s first civic college was opened in the city centre in 1881, four years after the foundation stone was laid by former Prime Minister, W E Gladstone. It was decided by the city council that the college should be provided with £4,000 per year. After the first world war, the original college building was built. A generous gift of 35 acres of land at Highfields by Sir Jesse Boot in 1928 gave the college its main campus, University Park. Finally, in 1948, the college was awarded the Royal Charter and became The University of Nottingham. It was now able to award degrees in its own name. During this time the School of Agriculture was established with the merger of the Midland College of Agriculture at Sutton Bonington with the university.