St John’s College, Durham: a community of belonging.
A distinctive, independent college at the heart of Durham, where tradition and innovation meet
St John’s College is a place of belonging, grounded in the values of curiosity, gratitude and kindness. Set on the historic Bailey beside Durham Cathedral, we combine the best of tradition with a forward-looking spirit. Whether studying, performing, rowing, worshipping, or simply sharing life together, Johnians make this community thrive.
“John’s attracts people who genuinely want to help – Each of us helps shape the college in our own way, and that’s what makes it such an inspiring place to be and grow”.
Ahmed, BSc Computer Science
Your guide to St John’s College
College news
Discover what’s happening across College with the latest updates and news.
12 May 2026
A Greener Future for St Mary the Less
St Mary the Less, the Chapel of St John’s College, Durham, has recently completed the installation of air source heat pumps to power underfloor heating throughout the building, marking a significant step forward in the College’s environmental sustainability work. For me, it’s about leaving the estate in a better condition environmentally than we inherited it, […]
7 May 2026
Welcoming our new Fellow-in-Residence
We are delighted to welcome Dr David van der Linden to St John’s College this term as Fellow-in-Residence and Barker Visiting Fellow. David is Assistant Professor in Early Modern History at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. His research focuses on religious conflict, coexistence, and peacebuilding in early modern France. During his time in […]
27 April 2026
New Chaplain at St John’s
We are delighted to announce the appointment of Revd Sarah Heslop as our new Chaplain. Sarah studied History at the University of Oxford before working as a teacher in London, Leipzig (Germany), and Cambridge. She has been closely involved in church and community life in and around Durham for many years, before training for ordination at Lindisfarne College of […]
St John’s College, Durham a community of belonging.
John’s Chronicles
Bringing together all things Johnian
St John’s calendar
John’s Day
A day-long college celebration with a raft race, inflatables, live music, and a headline DJ.
John’s-Chad’s Day
John’s and Chad’s go head-to-head in friendly sports matches followed by a formal and winner announcement.