It had its origins in 1895 as the association of women home students, formalised in 1947 as St Aidan's Society.

In 1961, it became a full college of the university, and in 1964 moved to new modernist buildings on Elvet Hill designed by Sir Basil Spence.

The college has its origins in the small group of women, known as home students, who were first allowed to study at Durham in 1895.

A common room was soon found in 50 North Bailey and chapel services held at the church of St Mary-le-Bow.

However, financial constraints prevented the chapel from ever being built and later extensions to the straight section did not follow the original idea.

[citation needed] In 1963, Scott was succeeded as principal by Dame Enid Russell-Smith,[6] who handed over to Irene Hindmarsh in 1970.

The SCR is a self-regulating body of senior members of the university, college officers, tutors and postgraduate students.

[13] The St Aidan's College Chess Society was founded in 2022 and members meet to play one another every Thursday in the Junior Common Room.