About Us

The Maribel Centre is part of St Mary’s Convent – home to an Anglican Community of Sisters – The Community of St Mary the Virgin (CSMV). Founded in 1848 by the 29 year old Vicar of Wantage  –  William John Butler, the Community of St Mary the Virgin is one of the earliest traditional Church of England religious communities.

Find out more about Our Community here.   Find out more about Our History here.

In their long history, the Sisters of CSMV have focused their ministry on the education of girls, as well as support for vulnerable women and children both in the UK and abroad. Your booking at the Maribel Conference and Training Centre contributes to the ongoing charitable work of CSMV, supporting education and outreach programmes for people in need.

St Mary’s Convent also has a thriving Retreat Wing welcoming guests to St Mary’s Convent for spiritual retreats. Hospitality has always been central to the ministry of CSMV, and the award-winning renovation of The Maribel Conference and Training Centre continues this tradition by providing a unique meeting venue that serves and supports a wide range of organisations.

In keeping with supporting educational initiatives, St Mary’s Convent is also home to the head offices of two local Multi Academy Trusts – the Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust (ODST) and the Cambrian Learning Trust (CLT).

What’s in a name?

The Maribel Centre is named after Mother Maribel, who served as Mother General of CSMV from 1940 until 1953. As well as being a dedicated Sister of CSMV, Mother Maribel was an exceptionally gifted artist and achieved a vast amount of creative work over the years thanks to her entirely disciplined life and strong resources of energy. Over a period of 27 years, between fulfilling her roles within the Community, Mother Maribel carved in teak the 15 Stations of the Cross, the final one being of the Resurrection; they are mounted in St Mary Magdalene’s Chapel today.