Penrose Court was built as an estate of accommodation blocks to house the increasing number of students coming to Royal Holloway. Work began in 1983 to build Penrose Court on land previously part of the Highfield Estate and covering much of the land that had formed part of the Highfield Estate. The development consisted of self-catering houses and flats for 200+ students with each of the units housing between four and six single accommodation rooms with shared bathrooms and kitchens.