St Paul’s Convent is the home of the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of St Paul the Apostle. It’s foundress, Mother Genevieve Dupuis, came over from France in 1847 and started a new female religious order in Banbury. The sisters worked in the community, focussing on child education. In 1864 the order moved to Selly Park and initially lived and worked from Selly Hall, a large Georgian mansion dating back to c. 1780 and still part of the convent.  From the 1870s onwards the convent was extended and upgraded almost every decade until the 1930s.

The guided tour will be led by Sister Julianna who has extensive knowledge of the history of the order and Selly Park convent. The tour will visit the ground floor only. You will walk along the internal cloister walk and visit the impressive chapel interior with stained glass by Hardmans. The tour will finish with a stroll through the extensive grounds and a visit to the cemetery. 

The tour will take about an hour, followed by tea and cake. All ticket income will be donated to charity.

Organised by St Paul’s Convent