Whitelands College

Whitelands College is one of the oldest higher education institutions in England (predating every university except Oxford, Cambridge, London and Durham) and was founded in 1841 by the Church of England's National Society as a teacher training college for women.

The college was originally based in, and named after, a Georgian building, Whitelands House, on King's Road, Chelsea.

[2] (The Chelsea building was sold to the British Union of Fascists to be their national headquarters, becoming known subsequently as the "Black House".

The extensive campus was expanded over the following years, with additional residential and academic buildings constructed on site.

The Festival is held annually, and includes the enthroning of a May Queen, or (since becoming coeducational) a May King, elected by the student body during the preceding academic term.