Alternate Oxbridge

I always found the story of the two greatest Universities (IMO) fascinating.

At first the new scholars of England went to set up a new University at Oxford. A quick murder scandal follows, in which a woman is found dead, and the last person she was seen with was a drunken student. When the student could not be found the authorities thought that the best idea was to execute his 3 room mates.

Of course many of the teachers and students were not happy with that decision and fled to set up a rival University in a small city in East Anglia, Cambridge. And so one of the greatest rivalries in history was created.

But how could it have been different? Was there another city being considered by the fleeing teachers and students? Was there an alternative to Oxford in the first place?
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Northampton_(thirteenth_century)

There was also a third university established at Northampton, but it did not survive into the modern ages - it lived merely for 4 years.

But that would not make much difference - There are 4 ancient universities in less populated Scotland. And Northampton is located not far from Cambridge - it is also located in the South thus you cannot expect a divide in which Northerners will go to Northampton, while the Southerners go to Oxbridge.
 
Couldn't any of the the cathedral schools have developed into a university? A quick check on Wikipedia and the oldest appears to be King's School Canterbury. You would end up with a university with very strong links to the religious hierarchy.

Here's the oldest.

# The King's School, Canterbury (597)
# The King's School, Rochester (604)
# St Peter's School, York (627)
# Sherborne School (early 8th C)
# Wells Cathedral School (909)
# Warwick School (914?)
# St Albans School (948)
# The King's School, Ely (970)

Ely would be an easy alternative to Cambridge, about 16 miles/25km away. York would be interesting due to its more northerly location, further north than Northampton. York is good historically important city...
 
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