 The inter @-@ war years were transformative for Castle . The college was the smallest in Durham university , with just 34 undergraduates in 1928 , and was struggling to meet maintenance costs . The Castle , situated on the banks of " The Peninsula " , was in danger of collapsing into the River Wear and many of its internal structures were weak . The combination of high costs and low undergraduate numbers meant that the college was often threatened with closure or merger with Hatfield . Castle was saved largely through charitable donations . A visit in the 1920s from Edward , Prince of Wales ( later Edward VIII ) , helped increase the profile of the cause . In the 1920s , the castle 's foundations were secured through reinforcement with concrete . Following these and other extensive building refurbishments of the 1920s and 1930s the college was now able to expand . 
