In 1902, Frederick Samuel Willoughby, vicar of Hooton Pagnell near Doncaster, opened St Chad's Hostel to prepare men of limited financial means for entry to Church of England theological colleges.
He was supported by lady of the manor Julia Warde-Aldam, who in 1903 funded a dedicated building for the hostel in Hooton Pagnell.

The further financial support of Douglas Horsfall, a wealthy Liverpool businessman and devoted churchman (who also funded the building of several large Anglo-Catholic churches in his home city), made it possible in 1904 to establish a hall at Durham University as a sister institution to the Hooton Pagnell hostel, to allow students to read for university degrees alongside training for ordination.
Durham University had a provision in its statutes to recognise independent colleges, permitting students to matriculate through those institutions and then to sit for Durham exams.

A licence from the university was obtained and St Chad's Hall opened in October 1904 at 1 South Bailey, Durham, with nineteen students.
With the expansion to Durham, Willoughby withdrew from the project and Revd Stephen Moulsdale, a Durham graduate who had been vice-principal of the hostel, became the first principal of the hall as well as principal of the hostel.

The college soon expanded into neighbouring buildings, starting with 28 North Bailey (adjoining 1 South Bailey) which was rented from the Dean and Chapter.
 In 1909, a small wooden chapel was constructed behind the South Bailey buildings, and dedicated by the Bishop of Jarrow.

The Durham hall and Hooton Pagnell hostel continued to operate in partnership, with students studying for a year at the hostel before moving to the hall to complete their studies, until 1916 when the Hooton Pagnell building was requisitioned as a war hospital and all teaching was moved to Durham.
The hostel building was returned after the war, and re-opened for a short time, but the financial problems of running in two locations led to the hostel finally closing in 1921.
In 1902, Frederick Samuel Willoughby, vicar of Hooton Pagnell near Doncaster, opened St Chad's Hostel to prepare men of limited financial means for entry to Church of England theological colleges. He was supported by lady of the manor Julia Warde-Aldam, who in 1903 funded a dedicated building for the hostel in Hooton Pagnell.
The further financial support of Douglas Horsfall, a wealthy Liverpool businessman and devoted churchman (who also funded the building of several large Anglo-Catholic churches in his home city), made it possible in 1904 to establish a hall at Durham University as a sister institution to the Hooton Pagnell hostel, to allow students to read for university degrees alongside training for ordination. Durham University had a provision in its statutes to recognise independent colleges, permitting students to matriculate through those institutions and then to sit for Durham exams.
A licence from the university was obtained and St Chad's Hall opened in October 1904 at 1 South Bailey, Durham, with nineteen students. With the expansion to Durham, Willoughby withdrew from the project and Revd Stephen Moulsdale, a Durham graduate who had been vice-principal of the hostel, became the first principal of the hall as well as principal of the hostel.
The college soon expanded into neighbouring buildings, starting with 28 North Bailey (adjoining 1 South Bailey) which was rented from the Dean and Chapter.  In 1909, a small wooden chapel was constructed behind the South Bailey buildings, and dedicated by the Bishop of Jarrow.
The Durham hall and Hooton Pagnell hostel continued to operate in partnership, with students studying for a year at the hostel before moving to the hall to complete their studies, until 1916 when the Hooton Pagnell building was requisitioned as a war hospital and all teaching was moved to Durham. The hostel building was returned after the war, and re-opened for a short time, but the financial problems of running in two locations led to the hostel finally closing in 1921.
St Chad's College, Durham