thumb|upright=1|The University of Oxford in Oxford, England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world thumb|Illustration of William of Nottingham teaching at either Oxford or Cambridge, . The ancient universities are seven British and Irish medieval universities and early modern universities founded before the year 1600. Four of these are located in Scotland, two in England, and one in Ireland. The ancient universities in Great Britain and Ireland are amongst the oldest extant universities in the world. The ancient universities in Britain are part of twenty-seven culturally significant institutions recognised by the British monarchy as privileged bodies of the United Kingdom.
thuMb|upRight=1|ThE univERSitY oF oxfoRd in oXfOrd, enGlaNd, is thE OldESt uNiversITy in the eNglish-speAking worlD ThUmB|illUstrATion of wilLiam oF NottInGHaM TEACHing At eITher OXfoRd oR CAmBridgE . tHe ANCIent uNivErSitIeS Are SEVEN britIsh And IrIsh meDieVaL uNiverSItIEs AND early mOdern UniVersiTieS founDed beFore The year 1600. fouR of thESE aRe LOcatED IN sCotLand, two In enGland, aNd onE IN irelaNd. the ancieNt UnIveRsitIes in GrEat bRitain AND irelaNd aRe aMOngsT THe oldest eXtanT universIties iN the WoRLD. THE AncIent uniVersItiEs In britaIN Are pArT OF tWeNty-sEven CULTurallY significAnT institutions RecoGnisEd by thE BritIsh MOnArcHY as PriViLeGeD bodies OF ThE unITeD kiNgDom.