ARCHIVES AND LIBRARY
The Archives of the Congregation of Jesus, English Province, are housed at the Bar Convent, York founded in 1686 by Frances Bedingfield.
The Archives provide unique and intimate details of our story. For the study of Mary Ward we rely on an extensive set of transcripts from the original papers in Munich. The story of the Bar Convent is supported by its own documents, including letters, journals, registers and account books from which a vivid picture of convent life at a time of persecution can be seen. Documents relating to the general history of the Congregation of Jesus, its early foundations in England, the houses founded in the 19th and 20th centuries, and the foundation of the IBVM Loreto Branch of Mary Ward's institute, complete the collections.
The main Library is largely devoted to Catholic history, with special emphasis on the recusancy period. In addition there is the historic Convent Library of antique books dating from 1508 to 1850, constituting an interesting recusant collection in several different languages. The Archives and Library together form a Catholic study and research centre, completed by the historic 18th century hidden Chapel, and a small Museum which displays objects from recusancy times.
