Community of St Mary the Virgin

The Community of St Mary the Virgin (CSMV) is an Anglican religious order founded in 1848 by the vicar of Wantage, William John Butler.

Its current Superior is the Reverend Mother Winsome CSMV, a former Baptist Christian, who converted to Anglicanism in order to become a nun.

William John Butler (1818-1894)

A High Church Anglican priest, Butler was Vicar of Wantage from 1846 and several of his curates became notable churchmen (e.g. Henry Parry Liddon). In 1880 he became a canon of Worcester and in 1885 Dean of Lincoln. He was offered the bishopric of Natal in 1864 but did not accept it. He was the founder of the Community and continued as Warden until his death,

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