St Dominic’s Convent, Stone in Staffordshire, was built in 1850 to be the Mother House and novitiate of  the apostolic (Third Order) Dominican Sisters introduced into England for the first time by Margaret Hallahan in Coventry in 1845.  Margaret was aided in her work by the future first Bishop of Birmingham, the Downside Benedictine William Bernard Ullathorne; then Mission Priest in Coventry.  It was because of his help that she chose to have her Mother House in the (now) Archdiocese of Birmingham and why Bishop Ullathorne is buried on the sanctuary of the church attached to the convent. 
 
Before Margaret came to Stone it had already been the scene (since 1842) of the preaching of the Passionists, led by Blessed Dominic Barberi (d.1849).  The Passionists had their monastery in the hamlet of Aston-by-Stone.  Blessed Dominic walked regularly the two miles into Stone to celebrate Mass and to preach.  On land given by a local Catholic, he built the first Catholic church in Stone since the Reformation.  This chapel still stands in the convent grounds.  Nearby, Mother Margaret, in 1860, built the present Catholic parish church of the Immaculate Conception and St Dominic, attached to the cloistered convent.  She also founded a school for girls and a nursing home, both of which continue.

John Henry Newman had already visited Stone after his conversion and attended Mass in Bl. Dominic’s little church. Through Ullathorne he came to know the sisters and had a great admiration for the Congregation.  He preached the first sermon in the new convent church and gave a gift of silver mounted outdoor processional candlesticks (still in use).  These, and some other interesting relics, may be seen in the convent library and cloister. 

Tours of the convent etc. are on offer 9am  and  3:30pm