The Northern Connection opens at Stonyhurst College Museum in Lancashire on Saturday 31 October 2026 and runs until 30 October 2027.
Bringing together rare artefacts, historic vestments, paintings and archival treasures, the exhibition will uncover the remarkable story of the Jesuits in northern England, from the underground Catholic missions of the 17th century to their enduring contri-bution to education, literature, architecture and religious life across Liverpool, Lanca-shire, Manchester, Derbyshire, Durham, Stonyhurst and Preston.
Among the exhibition’s most unexpected stories are the connections between Jesuit schools and some of Britain’s best-known cultural figures. Leo Baxendale, the cele-brated cartoonist who created the Bash Street Kids, was educated at Preston Jesuit College, while St Francis Xavier’s in Liverpool counted the young Charlie Chaplin and, decades later, musician Elvis Costello among its pupils.
The exhibition will also explore the Jesuits’ literary heritage through archival material connected to the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins and Sherlock Holmes creator Arthur Conan Doyle. Visitors will discover the story of a Jesuit chronicler of the Lake District whose writing helped inspire William Wordsworth.
But behind these famous names lies a much wider and often overlooked history.
The Jesuits have maintained a presence in northern England since the late 16th centu-ry, playing a significant role in the religious and cultural life of communities across Manchester, Preston, Liverpool and Clitheroe. At one point, there were more than 50 Jesuit parishes and works in the northwest alone.
The exhibition will explore the dangerous world of Catholic recusancy, when priests and lay Catholics risked persecution to practise their faith. Historic vestments, paint-ings and relics will bring to life the experiences of Catholics who sustained their reli-gious communities during the 17th and 18th centuries.
Visitors will also be able to see the celebrated Gothic Revival vestments from St Fran-cis Xavier’s in Liverpool, displayed alongside 15th-century examples from Stonyhurst’s own collections. Together, they offer a fascinating insight into the artistic and archi-tectural heritage of the Jesuits.
The exhibition draws on Stonyhurst’s extensive collections, libraries and archives, with contributions and loans from St Francis Xavier’s in Liverpool, Wonersh Seminary, the Jesuit Province Archive in London, the Harris Museum in Preston, Jesuit churches in Manchester and Preston, and private collections.
An oral history project will run throughout the exhibition, inviting parishioners and members of communities associated with Jesuit churches in Liverpool, Clitheroe, Manchester and Preston to share their memories, helping to preserve the living histo-ry of the Jesuits in the region for future generations. Educational resources and infor-mation packs will also be available for schools.
The Northern Connection runs from 31 October 2026 to 30 October 2027 at Stony-hurst College Museum in Lancashire. The museum welcomes visitors on selected dates. For information about opening times, guided tours and booking arrangements, please visit the Stonyhurst website.
