St Mary's Convent

Heritage listing

Details Convent built for the Community of St Mary the Virgin (CSMV) founded in 1848 by William John Butler and Elizabeth Lockhart. The original Convent building by G E Street in the Gothic Revival style was built in 1855-6, with the Chapel of St Mary Magdelene also by Street constructed in 1858-61. The east wing of 1860 and a refectory of 1866, extended in 1871 and altered 1900, with a noviciate wing by W Butterfield 1874-8 and a larger chapel by Pearson of 1887 (which is separately listed), remodelled by Sir Ninian Comper in 1923. The guest wing is of 1897, covered cloister of 1900 and a gatehouse of 1936. MATERIALS: coursed and dressed rubble limestone with limestone ashlar dressings, tiled roofs and stone stacks. PLAN: a complex plan grouped around two courtyards, separated by a refectory, with an extensive service area to the west. Ranges to the north (rear) and west (left) of the front courtyard (1855-6) and the chapel (1861 and 1871-2) are by G E Street. The wing to the east (right) of the courtyard (1860), altered in 1900, and refectory (1866) to the rear by an unspecified architect, possibly by W Butterfield; the Noviciate wing to the rear of the courtyard block is by Butterfield of 1878; the Noviciate and Street’s chapel are attached by cloisters of 1900 to the main chapel by J L Pearson of 1887; the 1897 range to the left (west) of the front courtyard has a gabled rear wing of 1903; the gate-house of 1936 is to the front of the courtyard. The original entrance to the convent was in Street’s south range, accessed from the entrance from Challow Road. The current entrance is through a C20 covered link crossing the north courtyard defined by the north and late -C19 west ranges. EXTERIOR: the convent’s ranges share similar external characteristics irrespective of

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.