Durham University founded by Act of Parliament

Background. Durham University is identified by historians as the third-oldest university in England, being the first recognised university to open in England for more than 600 years after Oxford and Cambridge. The university came into being when Parliament passed the Durham University Act 1832, an Act to enable the Dean and Chapter of Durham Cathedral to appropriate part of the property of their church to the establishment of a University in connection therewith.

Legislative Process. The Durham University Act 1832 was passed at the instigation of Archdeacon Charles Thorp with the support of Bishop William Van Mildert. The Act specifically authorized the Dean and Chapter to use part of their property to establish a university connected to the cathedral, providing the legal foundation for the institution's creation.

Royal Assent. King William IV, who reigned from 1830 to 1837, granted royal assent to the Durham University Act on 4 July 1832. This formal approval transformed the legislative proposal into law, officially bringing the university into existence as a legal entity in Durham.