Invitation to tour St Mary’s Convent of Mercy, Handsworth

Invitation 

St Mary’s is an 1841 gothic revival convent by the architect Augustus Welby Pugin, which still houses a small community of Sisters.  

We offer regular guided tours of the convent where you can see some of the original features and hear how the Sisters have used the convent building over time. Discover more about the nursing role of the Sisters in the Crimean War, about the Sisters as teachers, and gain an insight into Catholic Religious life from the 1830s-2010s. Discover the beautiful chapel and the bedroom of our foundress, the Venerable Catherine McAuley.

The tour is followed by refreshments in the convent refectory. Free roadside residential parking is available near the convent. Suggested donation £5.

Convent Heritage Tours 2026

September: Heritage Open Days. Booking opens in August.
 
2pm Thursday 8 & Tuesday 20 October
 
2pm Friday 6 & Monday 23 November
 
2pm Wednesday 2 December.

Please book by calling 0121 554 3271 or email [email protected]  

We also welcome small groups on tours. Please get in touch to discuss.

St Mary’s also offers a prayer space for Quiet Days, spiritual accompaniment and private and guided retreats for individuals and groups. We also offer various hired-out meeting spaces and chapel space for groups.

Discover St Mary's Convent