Photographs Of Newcastle: Castle Leazes Halls of Residence Demolition

Castle Leazes is an iconic staple of student life here at Newcastle University with tens of thousands of students calling it home over the last 56 years.

While the accommodation provided around 1,250 beds, the pressing shortage of student housing in the city and the need to update the facilities to meet modern standards have become significant concerns.

The demolition of the block is scheduled to begin in the summer, at the end of the 2023/24 academic year, and - subject to planning permission - the new accommodation is expected to open in 2027.

In 1968, it became the first mixed-gender student accommodation, though genders were still segregated by floor. These early halls were catered, and students were required to wear gowns at mealtimes.

Despite its evolution, Castle Leazes has maintained some of its unique traditions. The legend of the cow navigating the paternoster lift is still shared among students. If you lived in Castle Leazes, you’ll be no stranger to dodging cows on Leazes Moor (apart from in 2001 when the foot and mouth disease forced students to take the long route to lectures!) and may recall watching helicopters land. The cows remain on the Moor, but the RVI now has its own helipad.

Amazingly, in 1972, students at Castle Leazes experienced a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity when Paul McCartney's band Wings, featuring Linda McCartney, Henry McCullough, and Denny Laine, performed an impromptu concert at Havelock Hall for an audience of 400 astonished students.

The most recent expansion occurred in 2010 with the addition of a new block, Castle Court.

Sadly I was unable to take some photos from when the halls were in use so this page will cover the demolition of Castle Leazes.

If you have any photographs of your own of Castle Leazes when it was in use please get in touch.

Description courtesy of Newcastle University which has a lot more information here Newcastle University - A brief history of Castle Leazes.