St Gildas Convent is an early 19th century mansion, originally built for Vincent Stuckey and called Hill House. In 1903 it was bought by the Sisters of Christian Instruction of St Gildas, who came to England to take refuge from difficult times in France. The convent school for girls was established in 1914. In the 1920s part of the stable block was converted into classrooms, and further classrooms were added in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1972 the school had about 200 pupils. The girls’ school closed in the 1970s and in 1991 the closure of the primary school led to the end of the convent and the nuns’ departure. The May Day celebrations probably date from 1991. The house has now been converted and divided up into several residences.
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