St Mary's Convent

St Mary's Convent in Wantage, Oxfordshire (Vale of White Horse district), is the home of the Community of St Mary the Virgin (CSMV), one of the oldest Anglican religious communities still active. Its buildings are protected on the National Heritage List for England, with the chapel in a higher grade than the rest.

What is St Mary's Convent and how did it begin?

The Community was founded in 1848 by William John Butler, then Vicar of Wantage. It grew out of the Oxford Movement and was among the first Anglican orders established in England after the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Over the years the sisters ran schools and charitable work alongside a life of prayer from this site.

What can you see here?

The first convent building was designed by George Edmund Street and went up in 1855-56, followed by his Chapel of St Mary Magdalene in 1858-61. William Butterfield added a noviciate in 1878. Together they make a good example of Victorian Gothic Revival.

The later chapel, built in 1887-89 to plans by John Loughborough Pearson, is the highlight. Its exterior draws on French Gothic, with a tall spire and a large five-light west window. Inside are a stone rib-vaulted roof, a carved wooden screen dated 1913, a rood, and a carved baldacchino on four columns at the east end. The stalls are by Pearson and Harry Hems of Exeter, and the angels above them come from the workshop of Josef Mayr of Oberammergau. The chapel was lengthened around 1900 with an ante-chapel, Lady Chapel and galleries, and Sir Ninian Comper rebuilt its east end in 1923, also making the east window glass.

How is the site protected?

• Chapel: Grade II* (listed 3 December 1969, amended 2018).
• Main convent buildings: Grade II.
• White Lodge: Grade II*.
• Gateway and flanking walls on Challow Road: Grade II (listed 1985).

The chapel is listed for its architecture and history, and for its group value with the Street and Butterfield buildings, gateway and walls.

How do you get there?

The convent is on Challow Road in Wantage (OX12 9DJ), in the Belmont area. Wantage lies in the Vale of White Horse and is roughly half an hour by car from Oxford. The nearest mainline station is Didcot Parkway, with onward bus or taxi.

When to visit and can you go inside?

This is a working religious house, not a ticketed museum with fixed opening hours. Check the community's website for service times and whether the chapel is open to visitors before you travel. The gateway and walls can be seen from Challow Road.

Frequently asked questions

Who founded the convent at Wantage?

William John Butler, Vicar of Wantage, in 1848.

Who designed the buildings?

G. E. Street designed the first convent and original chapel, W. Butterfield added the noviciate, and J. L. Pearson designed the present chapel. Ninian Comper rebuilt its east end.

Is St Mary's Convent a listed building?

Yes. The chapel is Grade II*, and the main buildings and gateway are Grade II.

Is this the same as St Mary's Convent High School in Hyderabad?

No. The name is common. This page covers the Anglican convent in Wantage, England.