The original campus university, our founding ethos of providing an intellectually stimulating environment and distinctive graduates still runs through our community today and is perhaps why we've ranked 1st for student satisfaction for the past two years (National Student Survey 2014 and 2015). Keele University is situated on an estate with extensive woods, lakes and parkland, formerly owned by the Sneyd family. The Sneyds came into possession of the Keele estate in the mid-16th century. Before the Sneyds the area was owned by the Knights Templar, a medieval Military Order. The first Keele Hall was built in 1580 and it was rebuilt in 1860. The Hall is a major conference, wedding and banqueting venue and has Grade II listing from English Heritage for its architectural importance. The University itself was founded as the University College of North Staffordshire in 1949 and received its Charter as the University of Keele in 1962.