Henderson Hall

The hall was designed by architect Arnold Dunbar Smith of Smith and Brewer in a neo-vernacular style and built between 1929 and 1932. It opened in 1932 as the first hall of residence for men at Durham University's Armstrong College in Newcastle (now Newcastle University), and was named Henderson Hall in 1935 after local philanthropist George Henderson who had donated the funds for its construction. Notable residents of the hall included comedian Rowan Atkinson and musician Bryan Ferry. Atkinson used to perform amateur dramatics there, playing a grumpy old man in a raincoat. He was also interested in showing films in the hall's cinema. It was the subject of a book, Basil's Boys: Student…