St Benet's Hall

About St Benet's Hall

St Benet’s Hall was a Permanent Private Hall (PPH) of the University of Oxford from 1918 until its closure in 2022. Its origins as a Benedictine Hall went back to 1897.

It owed its original foundation mainly to the vision and energy of Fr Anselm Burge, Prior of Ampleforth Abbey in Yorkshire. At that time, the University of Oxford allowed for any Master of Arts to maintain a private Hall from which they could present candidates for degrees. These Halls took the names of their masters. At Fr Anselm Burge’s instigation, Ampleforth established a Hall on this basis. From 1897 until 1908, it was known as Hunter-Blair Hall, after Fr Oswald Hunter-Blair, the first Master. After Fr Oswald Hunter-Blair’s retirement, it was known as Parker’s Hall, after the second master, Fr Anselm Parker. In 1918, the University of Oxford established the new status of Permanent Private Hall, and Parker’s Hall became one of the first two PPHs (along with the Jesuit foundation of Campion Hall). It had the official title Aula Sancti Benedicti, or St Benet’s Hall.

The Hall was located at 103 Woodstock Road until 1904 when it moved to the former Grindle’s Hall on Beaumont Street (now demolished to make space for the Oxford Playhouse Theatre).  The Hall moved to 38 St Giles’ in 1922. In 2015, the Hall acquired an additional property at 11 Norham Gardens, formerly a convent of the Society of the Sacred Heart.

Originally the students of St Benet’s were monks of the Benedictine monastic order, studying for degrees at the University of Oxford.  This mission widened over the years; subsequently laymen and members of other orders also studied at St Benet’s. From 2015 women were also admitted to the Hall. At the time of the Hall’s closure, it was a community of monks, academics, graduate and undergraduate students of the University of Oxford, of all faiths and none. 

For over one hundred years, St Benet’s Hall was a centre of scholarship, community, and prayer. It enriched the institutional landscape of the collegiate University, and touched the lives of thousands of students, monks, staff, and friends.

The St Benet’s Hall Boat Club can be contacted at sbhbccommittee@gmail.com.

An Alumni Association continues to exist, for alumni and friends of the Hall. Alumni should contact alum@sbh-oxford.org.

Information for current students

Appeals against University academic decisions (academic appeals)

• Complaints about University matters not related to St Benet’s Hall
  The usual University procedures apply. General guidance is given at https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/academic/complaints.
  Students may also seek advice from the Oxford Student Union Advice Service at Student Advice (oxfordsu.org).
• Complaints about matters related to St Benet’s Hall
  Students should contact the Registrar’s Office at registrar@admin.ox.ac.uk. The University will seek to assist students with such complaints and to resolve them where practically possible and will apply its procedures flexibly to do so. Students should note that any complaint should be submitted as soon as possible and at the latest within three months of when the matters complained about occurred (this is in line with the timeframe under the University’s complaints procedure) .
  Students may also seek advice from the Oxford Student Union Advice Service at Student Advice (oxfordsu.org).
• Applications to the Proctors for 'illness or other urgent cause'
  General student advice is given at https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/academic/exams/problems-completing-your-assessment.
  Students may apply to the Proctors directly using the appropriate form or contact examinations@proctors.ox.ac.uk for advice.
• Adjustment to assessment due to disability or complex personal circumstances
  Students should contact edcapplications@admin.ox.ac.uk. Information is given at https://academic.admin.ox.ac.uk/dispensations.

Information for former students

• Attendance at a graduation ceremony
  Former students wishing to book a degree ceremony should contact degree.ceremonies@admin.ox.ac.uk.
• Student academic records
  Information about obtaining degree certificates and letters is given at Degree certificates and letters | University of Oxford.
  Information about obtaining academic transcripts is given at Academic transcripts | University of Oxford.

General enquiries

Any general enquiries concerning St Benet’s Hall should be directed to reception@ampleforthabbey.org.uk at Ampleforth Abbey Trust