The Bar Convent Living Heritage Centre

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UK's oldest living convent, home to the order who opened the first school for girls in the country. To those in the know, it was also hiding an illegal convent.

Since 1686, the goings on at 17 Blossom Street have been York’s best kept secret. A secret that remained hidden for hundreds of years, until its residents gradually became safe enough to reveal it. To the outside world, this house was York’s first school for girls. The English Reformation saw Catholicism made illegal and punishable by death, but this group of determined women built a convent, including an entire chapel, under the watchful eyes of all of their suspicious neighbours. Today, more than 300 years later, it is the oldest active convent in England. With an exhibition on site which tells our history, special activities for our younger visitors, talks, a café and garden, the Bar Convent is a unique experience for all to enjoy.

13/10/2026

Rebellion ran deep in the families behind the Gunpowder Plot...

Plotter Thomas Percy wasn’t the first in his family to take on the Crown. Decades earlier, his relative of the same name - the 7th Earl of Northumberland - led the Rising of the North in 1569 against Protestant Queen Elizabeth I.

His reward for treason? Public ex*****on on a scaffold right beside All Saints’ Church on Pavement, with his head placed on a spike at Micklegate Bar.

If you step inside All Saints’ Church today, you can see a replica of his helmet, sword, and gauntlets - a stark reminder of the long family history of defiance that led to 1605.

You can visit All Saints, Pavement as part of our free Gunpowder Plot Walking Trail, you can also get a map from here too.

11/10/2026

I’m sorry, but it’s time! We need to start sharing some Christmas events with you.

Our first Christmas event is… I’m sure the picture gave it away, it’s Wreath Making!! Join us for a festive evening of wreath making in the beautiful surroundings of our Atrium.

Led by local florist Joanna Keely (Joanna Keely - The Flower Studio), this hands on workshop will guide you through the steps of creating a Christmas wreath to take home. Designed with creativity in mind your arrangement can be hung traditionally on your front door, or used as a festive table centrepiece or Advent ring.

Whether you’re coming with friends or enjoying a festive evening out on your own, it’s the perfect way to start the holiday season.

Event Details
Date: Wednesday, 3rd December
Time: 6:45pm for a 7:00pm start (approx. 2-hour duration)
Location: The Atrium at The Bar Convent, York
Tickets: £50 per person (includes step-by-step tutorial and all materials)
Refreshments: Alcoholic and soft drinks will be available to purchase on the evening.
Book: https://tr.ee/O5jDcqZ1sy

Please note: Space is strictly limited to 20 places to ensure an intimate, hands-on experience. Early booking is recommended!

08/10/2026

Did you know Queen Elizabeth I herself expressed outrage over an ex*****on right here in York?

Ouse Bridge was once home to Kidcote Prison, where Catholics who refused to conform to the state religion were held. It was also the site of Margaret Clitherow’s brutal death in 1586, where she was pressed under heavy weights for refusing to enter a plea after hiding a Catholic priest.

A young Guy Fawkes is thought to have been in the crowd that day, witnessing the harsh reality of state punishment firsthand. Her ex*****on shocked even Elizabethan society - so much so that Queen Elizabeth I wrote to York authorities declaring such a cruel death should never have been inflicted upon a woman.

You can enjoy a free walking trail around York exploring places connected to the Gunpowder Plot. Maps are available from:

Bar Convent (shop and reception)
Guy Fawkes Inn
City Screen
Margaret Clitherow’s Shrine
All Saints Church, Pavement
The Mansion House
St Martin’s Church, Coney Street

You can also follow the map online with audio - www.barconvent.co.uk/events/gunpowder-plot-trail/

07/10/2026

We’ve updated our hiring criteria a bit over the last 300 years... 🤫

Back in 1686, our founding sisters had to live under disguise just to keep the doors open at the UK’s oldest living convent. Today, things are much more peaceful, and we’re looking for someone special to join our hospitality team in running our vibrant guest house!

Role: Assistant Guest House Manager
Apply: www.barconvent.co.uk/work-with-us/
Closing Date: Sunday, 25th October 2026

05/10/2026

It’s finally here! York Restaurant Week has returned.

With a voucher from the York Restaurant Week website you will be able to redeem a £5 Hot Drink and Cake deal between 9am and 12pm at our lovely cafe!

It’s worth noting all of our cakes are homemade and absolutely delicious so this offer is not to be missed!

🔗 www.yorkrestaurantweek.co.uk

York Restaurant Week

02/10/2026

It is with great sadness that we share the news that Sr Ann Stafford cj passed away peacefully shortly before midnight last Thursday 24th September, while visiting family in Ireland.

Although we are deeply grieved by her loss, we take great comfort in knowing she was surrounded by her beloved family, who she was so looking forward to seeing. As were her wishes, Sr Ann has been laid to rest alongside her parents in Kildare, Ireland.

Sr Ann had a unique ability to make everyone feel welcome and important, and her warmth, kindness, and joyful spirit touched countless lives across our community. She was a cherished friend to so many of us, and her loss will be felt deeply by all at the Bar Convent and in the Congregation of Jesus.

The sisters and staff have asked for some time and space to process this loss. A Celebration of Sr Ann’s life will be held in York in due course so that local friends and community members can gather to remember and celebrate her life, and we will share further details when arrangements are finalised. In the meantime, a Book of Condolence has been opened and is available in the Bar Convent chapel - you do not need to book a time or speak to anyone to sign this book you can head straight to the chapel.

We kindly ask for your patience and understanding during this difficult time. Our team is currently overwhelmed with messages and visits, so if you do need to contact us, please send a private message here on social media and we will get back to you as soon as we are able. If you do need to speak to us, please visit our website here - www.barconvent.co.uk/convent-news/sr-ann/

📷 - Gareth Buddo

01/10/2026

Join us for an evening to remember, remember as you uncover the real history behind Bonfire Night.

Experience the Bar Convent after-hours, where you will gather by candlelight in the hidden chapel and come face-to-face with York’s most infamous son. Discover the man behind the barrels as Guy Fawkes awaits his fate in the final hour before his ex*****on.

The evening continues in the exhibition with a unique historic retelling of one of the most dramatic events in British history. Set against the turbulent backdrop of post- reformation York, explore the context, conspiracy and consequences of the event surrounding 5th November 1605.

Through rare objects, brand-new interpretation and human storytelling, the exhibition reveals how the plot echoed across the country, left its mark on York, and shaped the lives of the courageous women who founded this remarkable house in its wake.
£22pp, alcoholic or soft drink included.

In partnership with The York Dungeon. Please arrive at 6pm for a short performance at 6:15pm.

Tickets - https://barconvent.co.uk/events/the-gunpowder-plot-after-hours/

26/09/2026

ADOPT A GUY

With Halloween and Bonfire Night fast approaching, why not take a Guy home? Our Guy Fawkes decorations are looking for loving homes in time for the 5th of November - they are mischievous, a little bit fiery, and guaranteed to spark conversation on your mantelpiece. 🔥

Pop into the shop to meet your new Guy today. Adoption fees apply.

The gunpowder pouch is empty. Rehoming is final.

For everyone asking you can now buy online here - https://barconvent.co.uk/product/guy-fawkes-hanging-decoration/

24/09/2026

Imagine walking under the royal gateway to York... only to see the heads of executed traitors on spikes overhead.

On 14 April 1603, James I entered York through Micklegate Bar on his way to his London coronation. York’s large Catholic community held its breath - James had stayed with the prominent Catholic Ingleby family at Ripley Castle, raising hopes for a new era of religious freedom.

Instead, James doubled down on anti-Catholic laws. Devastated and cheated after decades of government persecution, a group of men in their early 30s decided to take matters into their own hands - setting the stage for the Gunpowder Plot.

Pick up one of our Walking Trails to explore the Gunpowder Plot across York.

Maps available from:
The Bar Convent
The Guy Fawkes Inn
All Saints Church, Pavement
Shrine of Margaret Clitherow, Shambles
York Library
York Mansion House
St Martins, Coney Street
City Screen
Visit York

You can also find a digital version and audio tour here - https://barconvent.co.uk/events/gunpowder-plot-trail/

23/09/2026

On the 23rd of each month, the Congregation of Jesus remembers the life of Mary Ward. To mark this date each month we are going to take a look at Mary Wards A Painted Life, which can be seen here at the Bar Convent.

Let’s start with the first painting - where her story begins.

As a young child, Mary took her first steps from the inner room of her home. Worried she might fall, her mother said, “Jesus, bless my child.”

Mary repeated just one word: “Jesus.”

She then did not speak again for several months.

It’s a small moment, but one that would come to symbolise something much bigger: Jesus was to remain at the centre of Mary’s life.

Look closely at the painting and you’ll also spot Mary’s mother and the household servants, with little details that tell us about life in England at the time - from Mary’s warm cap to her mother’s fashionable neck ruff. No clothes were specifically designed for children in those days, hence why Mary looks like a little lady.

Each month, on the 23rd, we’ll share another painting and another chapter of Mary Ward’s story.

Address

17 Blossom Street
York
YO241AQ

Telephone

+441904643238

Website

http://linktr.ee/barconvent

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