After the establishment of a theology department at Manchester University in 1903, Allworthy, with the encouragement of Edward Hudson of Rossall School, was prompted to consider founding of a place of residence for working-class men who were studying for holy orders.

[3] The idea for the foundation was said to have occurred to Allworthy under a willow tree in Brookdale Park where he had been reading The Life of Saint Anselm with Hudson in the summer of 1907.

[4] An announcement was made in September 1907 of the opening of a hostel "for free training and preparation with maintenance, of candidates for Holy Orders" at 105 Droylsden Road, with places available for eight students.

[4] Allworthy served as the first warden and St Anselm's began to function as a place of theological study.

As the hostel grew, a new site at Kent House, the former home of physicist Arthur Schuster, was secured for the students and warden to move to in 1914 by Edmund Knox, Bishop of Manchester.

The first half of the 20th century saw growing autonomy in the running of the hall, including the institution in 1922 of a formally-organised JCR committee.

Canon Duncan Armytage, later Canon of the Ninth Stall at Windsor Castle, St Anselm Hall underwent a period of development including the establishment of the Senior Common Room made up of university academics, the growth of the library, and the creation of a number of societies and events which still exist today.

[2] The hall remained open during World War II and housed a number of men from the armed forces who were undertaking short training courses at the university.

[5] Applications to St Anselm Hall fell immediately after the war, and it was proposed that it should become an Anglican theological college.

[2] Despite maintaining strong links with the Church of England, this transferral was significant in reshaping the ethos of the hall away from being a solely Anglican institution, since the former statutory appointment of a cleric to the position of warden was repealed.

The main building consists of the dining hall, the on-site bar and the residential wings, each with individual names.

The first extension to take place was the Dewar wing, named after the fourth warden of the hall, Revd.

They were constructed to replace two older houses (also called Manor and Summerfield) which had been used as student accommodation during the inter-war period.

It remains an active place of Anglican worship, with regular services of Evensong and Compline during weeks in term time.

Communal dinner, presided over by the warden or a tutor, is central to life at St Anselm, as it provides a space where the hall can come together and build a close-knit community.

The top table is where the warden, the JCR committee and the tutors sit, although any students are welcome to join them if they wish.

Once the JCR are stood behind their seats, the president makes any announcements and then instructs the student closest to the entrance to bang the serving spoon, which is done three times.

Originally located within the snooker room in the open JCR, it was relocated under the dining hall and expanded under warden Smalley in the 1970s.

The warden had the responsibility over the welfare all of the residents in St Anselm Hall and was the point of contact between students and the university.

In the late 1940s, warden Ronald Preston and two of his senior students, Thomas Lawrenson and Lawrence Tremlett, (both themselves former residents) wrote to every old Anselmian, inviting them to a revived reunion dinner, the practice having fallen away during the war.

Today the association, besides its annual summer reunion, hosts several events through the year including, amongst others, the London Dinner, Sports Day and Slemsiversity Challenge.

St Anselm Hall Association has long offered support to the activities of St Anselm Hall, with previous projects including the funding of the multi-gym, purchasing of sports equipment and, in the 2020–2021 session, supporting the 'JCR in Exile Society'.

The successful student, titled the director of music, is selected by the scholarship benefactor, David Godley, in concert with the hall chaplain and warden.

The successful students are selected by a representative of the scholarship's benefactor, the Prayer Book Society, in concert with the hall chaplain, and the warden.