University of Exeter Halls of Residence - Mardon Hall

Mardon Hall

As of 2011, Mardon Hall provides accommodation for a total of 106 students in 48 single rooms and 29 shared rooms, with shared bathroom facilities.

Designed in a 'country house' style by E. Vincent Harris, Mardon Hall opened in 1933, and was extensively refurbished in 1996, but retains its wood-panelled library and grand staircase. It was the University College of the South West's first purpose-built hall of residence. This was 22 years before the University gained its charter, becoming the University of Exeter in 1955.

Mardon Hall was financed by the College Appeal and Flight Lieutenant Evelyn Mardon, who donated £25,000 towards the building cost and after whom it was named. One of the original notable features of Mardon Hall was the wooden hut that was used as a dining hall until shortly after Holland Hall was built, due to the University College's lack of funds at the time of Mardon's construction.

In early planning against the outbreak of war the Government indicated a wish to use Mardon Hall as a hospital, but it continued as student accommodation until 1943, when it was taken over by the American Red Cross as a rest centre and Psychological Hospital for American troops. A wartime German map, held by the Devon Record Office, has the adjacent Reed Hall and the University's Washington Singer Laboratories marked as military targets, but not Mardon. The Hall was returned to student use in 1945.

The Hall accommodated men only until women were admitted in 1986, when "too many" women applied for University accommodation, but "not enough" men. The Mardon Bar was known as "The Beaver", although it has been out of action since 2007.

Mardon Hall's motto is "Probitas verus honos" - Honesty is true honour. Its senior resident tutor is Sam Goodman and the committee president as of 2011 was Georgina Howard-Duck.