Accommodation at St John’s is full of character, blending historic architecture with modern comfort. Living in College means being part of a friendly, close-knit community right in the heart of Durham, just a short walk from lectures, the library, and the city centre.
We have around 220 undergraduate bed spaces and 50 postgraduate rooms.
Most of our rooms are single standard rooms with shared bathroom facilities, while 42 are en suite. Around 30 rooms are shared (with two single beds), and a small number have double beds. All bedrooms include a bed, desk, chair and storage, and most also have a washbasin.
All undergraduate accommodation is located on the Bailey. Most first-year undergraduates live in College accommodation, second-years typically live out nearby, and many finalists return to College for their final year.
Most postgraduate accommodation is also located on the Bailey, with a small number of self-catered rooms available at Brass Thill, close to Durham city centre.
St John’s broadly aligns with Durham University’s pricing for College accommodation, with some minor variations. For example, we do not apply additional charges for ¾ or double beds, and rooms without sinks are not discounted.
It’s hard to put into words just how much St John’s has meant to me, but if I had to choose one word, it would be ‘home’.
Haneen, Law graduate
Most of our accommodation is housed within Georgian townhouses on the Bailey, alongside two purpose-built student residences: Cruddas, built in 1912, and the Garth, opened a century later. As a result, student rooms at St John’s vary in shape, size and character.
Alongside our catered accommodation on the Bailey, we offer a limited number of self-catered rooms for postgraduate students at Brass Thill, approximately 20 minutes’ walk from the College and close to Durham city centre.
Brass Thill comprises shared houses, each with three single standard bedrooms, a shared living room, shared bathroom, kitchen and access to a shared laundry facility. All accommodation is fully furnished, with Wi-Fi and utility bills included. Each house also has one parking space.
This option is available exclusively to postgraduate students and may appeal to those looking for greater independence while remaining part of the St John’s postgraduate community. Availability is limited and accommodation is allocated subject to demand.
St John’s is accredited under the UUK/GuildHE Student Accommodation Code of Practice, which sets standards for the management of student accommodation, including safety, wellbeing, maintenance, complaints and clear communication with residents.
You can view the approved Code of Practice here:
UUK/GuildHE Student Accommodation Code of Practice
Accommodation at St John’s is coordinated by the Vice Principal’s Office and wider College team. Please get in touch with any queries: the team is available during office hours.
Email: [email protected]
St John’s College, Durham
3 South Bailey
Durham DH1 3RJ
28 October 2025
Dan Bavister, Frep, Captain of the Badminton Team, and last year’s John’s Chronicle Editor-in-Chief, describes the community he has found in John’s as he arrives in Durham, ahead of beginning his master’s in English Literature. As September rolls around, it brings with it, in Durham at least, a whirlwind of activity. Here at John’s, it […]
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Arts and Culture Editor Christian O’Brien details his own experience of sharing a room in his first year.
15 January 2025
Rebekah Robson discusses her experience of sharing a room.
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