Wall Hall Campus, University of Hertfordshire

The "Mansion"

By Mobeena Khan

Wall Hall Mansion
Mobeena Khan

This is the front of the “mansion” building that was part of the Wall Hall Campus of the University of Hertfordshire that was closed in approx 2003.  The School of Humanities was based there as were the PGCE students and a great time was had by all!

American connection?

There were lots of rumours about the buildings (one of which was that JFK’s father, who was apparently the American ambassador at the time stayed there) but not many were verified.

It was a beautiful building and a lovely place to study at, even though transportation could be a bit difficult…

This page was added on 22/07/2009.

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  • I was at Wall Hall T C from 1955 until 1957. Miss Dickinson was Principal and Miss Price her deputy. It was a great place to be and the teaching must have been pretty good because I was appointed Headteacher of a very large Infant and Nursery School in Nottingham when I was 28. The building and surrounds were spelll-binding. It was a privilege to be there.

    By Pamela Haddon neé Mitchell (26/09/2023)
  • I was at Wall Hall College doing a BEd., in 1977-80 I think – doing English major for Middle school. I remember my friend’s dad was the music lecturer and she lived in Bushey. He was a lovely man and supervised my teaching practice but I think he has sadly passed away now. My lectures were in the beautiful mansion overlooking the gorgeous gardens it was surreal.

    By Teresa Scott OBE (22/06/2023)
  • I was on teaching practice when that awful road accident happened. The college wrote to the students to tell us what had happened. I knew Thelma. She was a lovely cheerful, friendly young lady. She studied Art. It was so tragic and sad that these students lost their lives.

    By Gail Davis (13/07/2022)
  • Hello Jim (Unsworth)

    I clearly remember your fiancée Philippa Sugars as she was in my class at Wall Hall. I remember her as being dark haired and pretty and still think of her from time to time. I can remember one of our Tutors announcing her tragic and sudden death in the accident. It was so sad that she was only a few months into her course and so Young when it happened, and absolutely heart rending for you at the time too. Unfortunately, I am not able to help you as to whether there was a memorial erected.

    Good luck though in trying to find this out. I hope somebody can provide this information to you.

    By Maureen Moult (06/06/2022)
  • My fiancée (at the time) Philippa Sugars started her teacher training course at Wall Hall in the autumn term 1972.

    On the night of Friday 19th January 1973, Philippa (Phil), another student Thelma Hall and myself were travelling home to Suffolk for the weekend when we were involved in a dreadful road traffic accident. Unfortunately, both Philippa and Thelma died as a result of the accident but I somehow survived.

    We have just passed the anniversary and I realised that next year will be 50 years since that dreadful night and I want to do something special to mark the occasion. I have a vague recollection of being informed that a tree was planted in the grounds of the college as a memorial to the two students, but I somehow never managed to get to see it at the time. Is there anyone out there who can tell me if this did in fact happen and if it did, would you be able to let me know where it was planted so I can get in touch with anyone at the estate as I should like to arrange to see it if it is still there.

    Jim Unsworth

    By James Unsworth (07/04/2022)
  • Some very happy memories of Wall Hall … I was a polly wally but was allowed entry as I was Big H’s cuz … 1985-87 seems a distant memory but a very happy one. Hello and hugs to anyone who remembers me.
    Neil Redding

    By Neil Redding (03/04/2022)
  • I was there 1967 to 70. We did not get a degree in those days – just as well because the teaching course was not great. Neither was the Larban dance course. Nevertheless I taught for 40 years. I made some good mates but sadly lost touch with most of them eventually. My first year was spent at Red House. We had to get a late pass if we were going to be out after 10.30pm!

    By Mary Thompson (maiden name) (06/02/2022)
  • I was at Wall Hall College from 1968-1971 for primary teacher training. My main course was called Movement (modern dance!) and I was lucky enough to live on campus for all 3 years as students who lived away from college needed a base there.
    My favourite memory was going to classes in the main building. The eccentric owner had installed secret doors in the walls and you had to know the hidden buttons to press to access the tutorial rooms. Bit like Harry Potter!
    There was also a rumour that part of a Dracula film was made in one of the holidays – a black horse racing past the cottage at the end of the back driveway.
    I now live in Sydney but have good memories of that time and the best 21st party ever.
    Diana Moore (then known as Pam Owen)

    By Diana Moore (06/02/2022)
  • I did my Primary PGCE there 1985/86. Fond memories ….. but not the frantic rail and bus journey each morning out from London to get there. Amazing campus and helpful friendly lecturers (mostly!). Set me up for a career teaching.

    By Graham Robertson (27/12/2021)
  • I was at Wall Hall from 1960-63, one of the first students to do the 3 year teacher training course. Thoroughly enjoyed my time there, living in Farmhouse for a year and then in Farm for 2 years. Miss Webb was my Education tutor and Miss Stampe Rural Science. We kept goats in the farmhouse garden and took the milk over to College every day to be used in the kitchen there. The grounds were beautiful – the Dell, the Folly, tennis courts, the Italian garden, as was the main building, and all the different hostels had their own character. Happy days, followed by a happy time teaching.

    By Hilary Johns (15/11/21) (15/11/2021)
  • I was at Wall Hall from 1971 to 1974 and took History as a Main Course. Tutors were Dick Wheeler, Trevor May and Sheila Fletcher. Grounds were awesome and the open air theatre was stunning. Often walked into Watford via Otterspool. Visited the site just before it closed but haven’t returned since…it would be quite upsetting!

    By Ian Sturman (14/11/2021)
  • Hi I was at Wall Hall in 72 – 75 studying main course Art and Junior/ Middle. By some fluke, a group of us lived in Otterspool for the whole 3 years and loved it. Thoroughly enjoyed my time there. Particular friends at that time were Joy Auckland, Sandra Brown, Helen Strang, and Rachel McGuire. We are all in touch from time to time with the exception of Helen Strang, who sadly died a few years ago.

    By Helen Ward (28/09/2021)
  • I did a PGCE in English and Drama in mid eighties. The Education lecturer was good but looks run off her feet. The English department was very self congratulatory (I didn’t realise then). Very little work if any on how to approach A level texts. Classroom management help/ ideas was all book based.
    We went on a Drama trip to Amsterdam and took a piece of Drama with us that started life as an improvisation but many students didn’t take part and we were relying on student participation!
    Those that did a four year B Ed might have fared better, even a Primary PGCE. But the real things that mattered like curriculum planning, what to do if kids just don’t listen to you and HOW TO TEACH them we’re just not there.
    I left secondary teaching eighteen months after finishing this course never feeling truly equipped to deal with the reality of Secondary School pressures which are nothing like today’s.

    By Katherine (03/09/2021)
  • hello, I was at Wall Hall from 1972-75 loved it. Was on the Special Ed course with Jerry Serpell-Morris as main tutor.
    Steph Spencer

    By Stephen Spencer (10/04/2021)
  • Hi I was at Wall Hall between 1971-74 studying Drama as a main. Resided Bingham 1 for the first year then lodgings in Radlett. Great Teacher Training taught for 34 years took early retirement and then helped set up a free school in 2011.

    By Sally Ford (05/04/2021)
  • Studied at Wall Hall Campus during the late 80’s-early 90’s.
    Enjoyed my time studying B.Ed (Art). Learned a lot about appreciating Art from the main tutors there. Still have some of my original artwork hanging on my home walls from those days. I remember when the Art Department took the students to Paris for Art field trips. Wonderful days then.
    I especially, used to enjoy the drive into the Campus, through the small village at the entrance and past the green fields.It was like stepping into the past each time. Not the same now, totally changed environment. But the Mansion is still impressive as ever.
    Moved to Australia back in 2009 but still remember those days at Wall Hall with my classmates. Remember faces but not names.

    By Raj Chohan (26/09/2020)
  • I was a student there between 1972-1975. Some memories of being there are good, others less so as some teachers were wonderfully supportive such as Miles Baron who taught my main subject which was Rural Science. Does anyone remember Audrey, another student at the same time (I don’t remember her surname) who was very kind and who gave me lifts as I was a single mother with no car and two young children. Audrey lived in Abbots Langley and got a teaching post at Hazlewood Lane Junior School. Other students in the Rural Science class included ladies called Christine, Olive, Yvonne and Julie Wall (for some reason I remember her full name). If anyone has information about any of these people, I would love to know what happened to them. Maureen Moult (formerly Reid).

    By Maureen Moult (04/09/2020)
  • Do you have any other photos, trying to remember it, was there 1998 to 2001 and went for a walk nearby recently and all changed

    By Marie Gillian Frizelle (28/06/2020)
  • I studied there from 1965-1968. I loved my time there.Such a beautiful location but easy to travel into London by train. Spent the first two years in digs at Radlett and the final year in Farm Hostel.

    By Dinah Oldham ( Waring) (20/04/2020)
  • My Mum attended Wall Hall in the 1950s. I am doing some family history research and wonder if I can obtain any academic records from her time here. Does anyone know how I would go about doing that?

    By Kate Morrison (19/03/2020)
  • The best grounding for teacher training I think. The facilities were wonderful. I was there 72-75 and thoroughly enjoyed my teaching career.

    By Eddy Koukkides (20/02/2020)
  • I disagree that ‘a good time was had by all.’ In my experience, the quality of teaching in the PGCE programme was lamentable on the occasions when the tutors bothered to turn up. It did education a favour when it was closed.

    By Tony Heath (06/06/2019)
  • Any body in touch with Alison Hurrell (73-76ish) from Heston & heavily involved with rag week 1973?

    By Norman (24/01/2019)
  • Here’s a film about Wall Hall, made in 1990 (a year before my arrival). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Toez1wJQqQM&feature=share

    I made a trip down memory lane there in 2016 – on the 25th anniversary of my arrival as a student. It went like a dream. I was delighted to hear from Tracey Rust, a director at Wall Hall Estate Management – and who lives at the mansion. She, very graciously, agreed to meet me on the day, outside the mansion. It was wonderful to be there again, to re-trace my steps … and my memories. 🙂

    By James Williams (18/06/2018)
  • I studied there from 1964 to 1967. Spent three very happy years living in Holbrook. My education tutors were Sarah Corrin and Mr. Marshall. My main course art tutors were Miss Davies and Mrs Fernandez. All lovely people.
    I’m sad that it is now a housing estate. It was such a lovely campus.

    By Chris Highmore nee Adams (05/01/2018)
  • I studied at Wall Hall 1964-67. As others have said a beautiful location but isolated. My first year was in Bingham 5. In the second year a friend and I were the first two students allowed to live off campus in Holywell Hill, St Albans with the head of the Art School. It was back to Farm for the third year.

    By Margaret (25/11/2017)
  • I studied here between 1973 and 1976 A beautiful location but rather isolated ( a very long walk down the drive). I remember the unreliable Shenley bus and often walked back to accomodation in Radlett. Brilliant History department, my tutor was Dr Mike Williams.

    By Janet Durie nee Eardley (28/09/2017)
  • Studied here 1973/76.
    Happy days. Beautiful grounds but remember feeling it was quite isolated. Lovely mix of new and old buildings. Spent a year in Binghams.

    By Alison Shaw (nee Page) (27/03/2017)
  • I spent three happy years at this college between 1970 and 1973.  It was a beautiful place to study!  I’m sorry that it has become a housing estate.  I’ve seen it, and I was able to view an exclusive apartment in the Mansion. The new residents are very lucky to live there.  It must be like living in a beautiful park.  Sadly the open air theatre has been neglected and overgrown.  This was about 2009.  So it might have been cleared now!

     

    By Gail Davis (08/02/2016)