St Benet's Hall was a Permanent Private Hall of the University of Oxford, founded and governed by Benedictine monks of Ampleforth Priory, which received a license to matriculate Oxford students in 1918.

Ampleforth Priory established a private hall of studies at Oxford for the purpose of enabling its monks to read for secular degrees at the University of Oxford. The hall was not founded as a theological college, but rather as a place where student monks could read for a degree in any secular subject.

St Benet’s became a permanent private hall (PPH) of the University of Oxford in 1918 and took its official name Aula Privata Sancti Benedicti: ‘St Benedict’s (or Benet’s) Private Hall.’ Benet is a medieval English variant of the name Benedict. It was named after St Benedict of Nursia, the founder of the Benedictine Order, father of western monasticism and a patron saint of Europe and also of students.

With the decline of monastic vocations from the 1960s, more Roman Catholic laymen were admitted, creating a mixed focus on theology, philosophy and the humanities. There was never a policy that lay members of the Hall, undergraduate or postgraduate, should be Catholics – and in the 21st Century most were not. All members were asked to be supportive of the monks’ life and values.

Sadly, St Benet’s had to close its doors in 2022, at which point a portion of the student body migrated to Regent’s, which also became home to the records of its alumni. The Development Office has been making contact with former St Benet’s students and staff, and we hope to explore the ways that we can guarantee a legacy for the Hall in Oxford. We hope that Regent’s will become a home in Oxford for all St Benet’s Hall alumni – you will always have a place here.

At the last Formal Hall of Trinity Term 2024, the brand new Regent’s-St Benet’s shield was unveiled. Hung above the entrance to Helwys Hall, the plaque symbolises the joining of our two communities.

We are delighted that members of the Benet’s community have joined the College’s Senior Common Room and are making valuable contributions to research life and teaching: