In November 2025 the Convent of Mercy closed after eighty-seven years of the presence of Sisters of Mercy in the town of Weymouth. Here, Sister Cecily who was resident in the Convent in Weymouth for years and the last Sister to leave writes about the Weymouth foundation:
The town of Weymouth on the Dorset coast rose to prominence during the latter part of the 18th century with the visits of King George III to ‘take the waters’. People began to visit, take holidays and settle permanently so that the population increased. With the advent of the Royal Navy taking advantage of the natural harbours and deep water around Portland, Weymouth was well and truly on the map as a place to experience.
When the Sisters of Mercy came from Hull to Swanage in 1935, the Catholic population began to increase in need. Consequently, three years later, Mother M. Anastasia O’Hara sent four Sisters to neighbouring Weymouth in answer to a call from the priest in charge of the mission there. Initially the Sisters lived in the former presbytery at St Augustine’s. By 1940 they had moved to their permanent home in Wyke Road, to the property known as ‘Nettlecombe’.
The teaching Sisters walked daily across town to the parish school, St Augustine’s. They escorted the children to a café near the station for dinners (wet weather notwithstanding!) and back to the convent in the evenings. Visitation of the sick and needy was done after school hours. This situation greatly improved after 1964 when a new, larger school was built on Hardy Avenue and the Sisters only had to walk to school across the fields.
The size of the Mercy community on Wyke Road doubled after the arrival of Sisters from Collumpton in October 1941. Two private schools in the grounds were opened, one catering for primary aged pupils (St Philomena’s), the other for Secondary pupils (Holy Child).
Besides education, the apostolate of the community consisted of prison ministry (on Portland); parish work – sacramental preparation and church sacristy; feeding the needy; visitation of the sick & housebound; hospital and care home visitation; catechetical work; running parish youth clubs and sewing groups. The Parish clergy and Mercy community always worked well together, and a spirit of friendship and hospitality was very evident throughout the years.
After the Amalgamation of the Westminster and Birmingham congregations, the Sisters in Weymouth began to be moved to other Convents and new Sisters came to Weymouth. It all made for great diversity and community-building!
After the closure of the two private schools, the land on which they stood was sold and the money was given over for the establishment of ‘The Lantern Centre’ where homeless and people in need could go for financial advice, food and clothing.
Sisters continued to work at the Salvation Army night shelter; Samaritans offices; hostel for ex-offenders and in soup kitchens. By the end of the 1990s the number of Sisters in Weymouth declined and the last teaching Head in St Augustine’s School retired. For the next 25 years the Sisters continued working in the Parish and doing voluntary work in the town. During these years the convent was always an ‘open house’ for prayer, retreats, time-out and ecumenical ventures, as well as a thriving Mercy Associate group set up in 2000. The spirit of Mercy hospitality prevailed until the end.
We pray that the tangible presence of Mercy will continue in Weymouth for many years to come.
