Her Majesty's Theatre provided the first alternative to the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, built in 1663 and the Lincoln's Inn, founded in 1660 (forerunner of the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, built in 1728). The theatre's site is the second oldest such site in London that remains in use. These three post-interregnum theatres defined the shape and use of modern theatres. The land for the theatre was held on a lease renewable in 1740 and was ultimately owned, as it is today, by the Crown Estate. Building was delayed by the necessity of acquiring the street frontage, and a three bay entrance led to
Third-oldest university in England debate third and fourth oldest university institutions, rather than the third and fourth oldest universities. The critical questions for King's College London are whether it gained "de facto" university status from its foundation and has managed to keep this status since, despite the objections above, and whether, if it has, UCL attained "de facto" university status before King's College (see discussion above). If both of these are answered in King's College's favour, then it is the third oldest university in England. Durham University's claim is based on it being the third institution to gain official recognitions as a university, through the