Community of St John Baptist

The Community was founded in England in 1852 by Harriet Monsell (the first Superior), a clergy widow, and Thomas Thellusson Carter, a priest at St Andrew's Church, Clewer, Windsor.

The community's headquarters were, historically, at their purpose-built Victorian convent on Hatch Lane, Clewer, Windsor, built from 1853.

[3] This very large and imposing structure, by Henry Woodyer,[4] is a local landmark, and includes a highly decorated chapel, and extensive accommodation for sisters, guests, and the female destitute persons to whom the community traditionally gave shelter.

[7] Following a sharp decrease in membership, the community found itself using only a tiny part of the buildings, and in 2001 relocated to Oxfordshire.

The Church of England's Clewer Initiative combatting modern slavery is funded by the community, and continues the Sisters' tradition of protecting the vulnerable and marginalised.

[8] The Community expanded to the United States in 1874, following the donation of property by the family of the first American CSJB sister.

Work was needed among German immigrants in New York's Lower East Side, and the community established a mother house on Stuyvesant Square at 233 E. 17th St.