A Fresher’s guide to every Durham college

So you’ve finally found out you’re going to Durham University. Whether this was your first choice or not, we can only congratulate you – you have a good time ahead of you. Durham is one of the UK’s best universities and has possibly its most unique student community. And one of our most obvious quirks is the college system.

At Durham we draw a balance between the colleges of Oxford and Cambridge, which act almost as mini universities of their own, and the accommodation halls of most universities. Your college is likely where you’ll spend most of your first year. It’s where you’ll live, eat, host pres, and make most of your friends. It’s also where you’ll involve yourself in sports, societies, and college events year-round. Colleges are split between the hill and the Bailey locations, with Bailey colleges generally older and closer to the city centre. There’s also Hild Bede, which doesn’t quite count as either.

Whether you choose to live in or out in your later years, your college will still be integral to your entire time at Durham. And naturally, every college is different, and they all have an associated reputation and set of stereotypes – some more true than others. So, in anticipation of a whole new cohort, we decided to summarise each one.

St John’s

St John’s is a smaller college located on the Bailey. Because of its size it has a very close-knit community. Its bar is a particular highlight, with a large outside area, if you’ll forgive the low ceilings. The protagonist of Alice Oseman’s novel Loveless, which is set in Durham and deals with a lot of student experiences, lives in John’s during her first year. Beyond this there aren’t too many stereotypes about this college – it tends to keep itself to itself.

Trevelyan

Famed for its unusual architecture, Trevs is probably Durham’s quirkiest college. Between its unexpectedly incredible lineup of college drinks, its compulsively hexagonal structure, and its world-class toastie bar, this place is full of surprises. It also has a pretty strong scene in music and theatre, and a nice location halfway up the hill. No, I don’t know why the crest is a drowning horse either. But the drink named after it is pretty good.

Hatfield

We’ve made it to probably the college with the most stereotypes surrounding it. A lot of people will tell you a Hatfield student is a specific type. To be honest, every Hatfield student I’ve met has been nice enough, and whether the stereotypes come from Hatfield being one of the oldest colleges or for some other reason, I have no idea. Its location is to die for, though, being in the heart of the Bailey.

Cuth’s

St Cuthbert’s Society (Cuth’s for short) is probably most notable for having two separate locations, one at the southernmost end of the Bailey and the other at Parson’s Field, near the racecourse. The split does make for interesting dynamics, although there’s no sign of the expected rivalry between the two sites. Both have excellent bars, with that of the Bailey site being a personal favourite. Cuth’s Day was also incredible this year.

Collingwood

Collingwood is one of the most-applied to colleges. It also has a reputation for its sports teams being exceptional (and to be honest, they are pretty good). It’s also a hill college, which gains it extra points from me. Being the largest college and fully catered, you’re guaranteed to make friends here, whether it’s through the dining hall, a sports team, or a recreational society. Its bar also hosts the Stag’s Open Mic. This is a biweekly event featuring live music from Durham-based student musicians, which you can sign up to perform at or come along to watch.

Chad’s

Chad’s is Durham’s smallest college and situated literally across the road from the cathedral. As a consequence of its size, it has one of the most close-knit communities in Durham. They probably have the most college events on throughout the year. As a more independent college it can also host its college day earlier in the year. And I can attest that it’s a fun one, having gatecrashed it last year. Its bar area is also one of the biggest in Durham, with two bars, a quad with an atmospheric glass roof, and a massive outdoor area.

Grey

“Grey by name, Grey by nature” is a sentiment spread sometimes, but nothing could be further from the truth. This college has one of the best locations, being near the bottom of the hill, an under-five-minute walk away from the science site and the Bill Bryson Library (Billy B). It’s also fairly expansive, managing to fit a large student population without feeling crowded. Its mascot is also a phoenix, which is awesome.

St Aidan’s

Stairs, stairs, stairs. That’s probably the first thing anyone thinks when they think of Aidan’s. A hill college in the most literal sense, Aidan’s is situated atop a long flight of stairs. Little does the Durham population know there’s actually another way to access it, sans stairs, by turning right just after Mildert. But aside from its cardiac benefits, Aidan’s also has some of the best views of the cathedral in Durham, and its second-best lake. More on that later.

St Mary’s

While definitely a hill college, Mary’s almost has more in common with the Bailey, what with its older architecture and smaller student population. It rivals Chad’s for the best college location, being literally next to the Billy B and Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC), as well as the rest of the science site. So it’s ideal for a STEM student or anyone who can’t study in their room. Mary’s also has some of the most enthusiastic student societies in Durham.

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John Snow

Game of Thrones and cholera references aside, John Snow is about as self-catered as it gets, despite being fairly far up the hill. However its bar/central area is called as the Igloo, which is pretty cool (no pun intended). It also has one of the biggest student theatre scenes in Durham.

St Hild and St Bede

One of the most unique colleges in Durham, Hild Bede is neither hill nor Bailey. Instead it’s on the edge of the viaduct near the city centre. Until recently it was situated in a historic building near the racecourse. However, renovations have necessitated relocating to the current Rushford Court location. This spot has entirely ensuite rooms and some of the most modern accommodation in Durham. While it is a bit of a trek from the other colleges, it’s probably the self-catered college closest to any shops.

Josephine Butler

Located at the very top of the hill, Jobo’s (as it’s colloquially known) most prominent characteristic is probably the mound, a noticeable small hill situated between it and its neighbour Stevo. The two have an unresolvable rivalry over who really owns it. However, they might as well be rivals over their bars, both being very good. Jobo’s accommodation is also right next to the Botanical Gardens for an emergency trip to nature.

Stephenson

And speaking of which, Stevo is the other half of the colleges that form the top of the hill. Stevo holds similar claims to the mound, and while it is slightly further away, its college bar makes up for it. Seriously, the place has good drinks, darts, pool, and table football. What else could you need? Oh, and it’s themed around trains, as the college is named after George Stephenson. And its college mascot is a dragon. Yeah, this place is cool.

Van Mildert

Have you ever felt a joy so profound it made all your previous experiences feel insubstantial in comparison? No? Clearly you’ve never been to Van Mildert. Jokes aside, this is my college, and I’m its biggest defender (as are most Durham students for their colleges, wherever they end up). Mildert is most known for its lake, which is enormous and spans the space between its modern accommodation blocks. It also contains ducks aplenty, which the college has made into its mascot and essentially its entire theme. Every summer you can watch a new bunch of ducklings from the lakeside for about a day before the herons snatch them. You can also look forward to an occasional visit from a terrapin.

South

This one’s a bit of a misnomer. It isn’t actually the most southern college, nor does it take in any more southerners than the other colleges. It is, however, the newest college, having opened in 2020. If you’re lucky you might find a student who remembers life before it. This bold set of modern buildings contains shared gym and laundry facilities with John Snow, as the two are very close together near the top of the hill.

Castle

That’s right, we saved the best till (almost) last. And while Castle isn’t strictly the best, it is the college people most associate with Durham. After all, it’s a stone’s throw away from the cathedral and formed out of part of Durham’s historic castle. It’s everything you’d expect here: Dinner in a Hogwarts-esque great hall, a sizeable underground bar with some of the best deals in Durham, and an enormous courtyard with amazing views all-round. However, a lot of students don’t end up actually living in the castle. Instead they’ll be in other accommodation sites situated nearby.

Ustinov

Despite this being a fresher’s guide, I might as well include this one too. You’ll probably hear about it eventually. Ustinov is a postgraduate-only college, and it also has the distinction of being the only college I’ve never been to. And while you’re also unlikely to be going here as an undergraduate, it’s one to keep in mind if you end up sticking around in Durham a little longer.

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