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 fourth oldest university institution". The debate also spilled over into Scotland in 2007, when The Guardian mistakenly called Durham the "third oldest university in the UK" (rather than in England). In 2016, "Durham Magazine" published an article on the debate, concluding that "Despite all the above arguments, most people consider Durham to be England’s third oldest university". "The Telegraph" noted the debate in 2018, saying "Durham University claims to be the third oldest university in England (a title also claimed by University College London)". Judging a university's "foundation" as occurring at the earliest point to which teaching can be traced,