Lady Margaret Hall in Oxford

The college was established in 1878 following a split within the Association for the Higher Education of Women, with its first nine students arriving in 1879. It was founded as one of Oxford's first two colleges for women, reflecting the desire for academic opportunities for women during the late 19th century.

The college expanded its facilities with the opening of a new building in 1894. This period also marked a strategic shift in institutional ambition, as the college transitioned from renting residential houses for teaching to acquiring land and erecting purpose-built educational structures.

In 1920, the University of Oxford began granting academic degrees to women for the first time. The students of Lady Margaret Hall were among the first women to graduate from the university during a ceremony held at the Sheldonian Theatre, a major milestone for women's education at Oxford.

The Deneke Building, designed by Giles Gilbert Scott, was completed in 1932. It housed the college's Byzantine-style chapel, which was subsequently dedicated in January 1933 by the college's founder, Edward Stuart Talbot.

Exactly one hundred years after the college's initial opening, Lady Margaret Hall broke with its status as an all-women's college and began admitting men in 1979. It was the first women's college at Oxford to adopt this change alongside St. Anne's College.

In 2016, the college introduced a pilot Foundation Year scheme designed to recruit students from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds. This innovative programme remains unique among Oxford and Cambridge colleges in its commitment to broadening access to higher education.

The Leatare Quadrangle was completed in March 2017, representing a significant architectural expansion. The new site includes the college's main entrance, the Porters' Lodge, the Donald Fothergill Building for student accommodation, and the Clore Graduate Centre.