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Origin and history

The English Benedictine convent, founded in the 17th century in Paris, was established by a community of monks fleeing persecution in England. In 1615, six Benedictines from Westminster moved to France, then bought three houses in 1640 in the 5th arrondissement, thanks to the support of Father Gabriel Gifford. In 1651, with the support of Anne of Austria, they bought the buildings and built a church dedicated to St Edmond between 1674 and 1677. King James II of England, exiled, lived there and was buried there in 1701, making the monastery a place of pilgrimage for English Catholics.

The monastery, prosperous in the 18th century, served as a refuge for the Stuarts and English Catholic aristocrats, while being a starting point for missions in England. Closed in 1793 during the Revolution, its premises became a prison and were sold as national property. In 1803 the buildings were returned to a British institute of British Benedictines, Irish seminary and Scottish college. In the 19th century, they housed a factory, the École Polytechnique, a Marine School and religious institutions, before welcoming the Schola Cantorum in 1903.

The architecture of the convent combines elements of the 17th and 18th centuries. The low pavilion of 1785, the chapel transformed into a concert hall, and a Louis XV lounge with remarkable woodwork testify to its rich past. The tomb of James II, desecrated in 1793, and the carved mascarons of the facades recall its historical importance. The whole, partially preserved, has been inscribed in historical monuments since 1961, with specific protections for its facades, stairs and interiors.

Today, the site is known as the Schola Cantorum, a renowned music school. The buildings, although modified for their successive uses, keep traces of their initial religious vocation, such as the Stuart chapel and the rock decorations. The convent thus illustrates the historical links between France and English Catholics, as well as the revolutionary upheavals that marked the Parisian heritage.

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