Closure of St Bede’s Hall, Oxford

Oxford

A new Catholic academic project at Oxford has been wound up. After the closure of Greyfriars Hall, Oxford some former members of the staff decided to open their own Catholic College. St Bede’s Hall emerged in 2009 with the intention to recruit undergraduate students from overseas as well as summer school students.

The Hall was recognised as a Catholic College by Archbishop Vincent Nichols, just prior to his move from Birmingham to Westminster.

Members of the Board of Management were Archbishop Nichols, Fr Sebastian Jones, Dr Penny Cookson, Fr Tom Weinandy OFM Cap., Dr Anne Mouron and Dr Alan O'Day. The Advisory Board comprised Dr Susan Frank Parsons, Rev Dr Laurence Paul Hemming and Dr Donal Lowry.

But the dream which was St Bede’s Hall has come to an end.

“It was unrealistic from the beginning” said an Oxford insider. “Fees were far too high to attract a large number of students and the Hall, unlike Greyfriars, was not part of the University of Oxford. If Greyfriars with modest fees by comparison was no longer viable, St Bede’s Hall seemed doomed from the outset."