Mary Sumner House is a Grade II listed venue in the heart of Westminster, offering a variety of 8 meeting rooms and a Conference Hall, ranging in size from intimate boardroom meetings for 6 to theatre-style layouts for conferences of up to 120 guests.
Built to honour founder Mary Sumner and celebrate the Mothers’ Union’s growth, our venue was designed by Claude W. Ferrier, also known for his work on Arsenal Football Club’s former Highbury Stadium.
Established as the headquarters of the Mothers’ Union, our building first opened in 1925, with over 2,000 members present on 18th July 1923 when the foundation stone was laid by Mary Sumner’s daughter, Louisa Gore-Brown.
Throughout the building, you’ll find stunning stained-glass windows, including four in the Mary Sumner Room bearing Irish provincial arms, donated in memory of the 49,435 Irish sons who fell in the Great War. This is also a beautiful stained glass window feature on the half-landing, which replaced the original window due to damage in the Second World War, but remains a tribute to Rev. E. C Carter and his wife, who lost their lives on the Titanic.
The Memorial Chapel features original wood panelling, stained-glass windows, and century-old chairs gifted by Mothers’ Union members. Many of these have been inscribed with dedications to loved ones.
Our building was named in honour of Mary Sumner, founder of Mothers’ Union – an international Christian movement of women committed to strengthening families and communities worldwide.
Mothers’ Union was founded in 1876 and equips members and their communities to recognise and utilise the skills, resources and talents around them. They also work with key decision-makers to address underlying issues and bring about systemic change.
A century later, it remains the central office for staff of the global movement, whilst also serving as a London conference venue available for hire for a wide range of events. Our event spaces have been named after pioneering women who have made a lasting difference to the world, reflecting Mothers’ Union’s mission to empower women and transform communities.
By choosing Mary Sumner House for your next event, you’ll be part of a larger narrative for change. You will not only provide a memorable experience for your colleagues and clients, but you’re also contributing to a movement that empowers women and transforms lives globally.
A conference in the Conference Hall could indirectly fund literacy programmes in rural communities, whilst an away day might contribute to initiatives fighting gender-based violence. Your team’s strategy session could help provide the resources for women to become entrepreneurs in developing countries.
Mary Sumner House is situated on Tufton Street, a prime Central London location with excellent transport links.
There are several nearby underground stations ranging between ten-to-twenty minutes’ walk away including Victoria, Westminster, and St James’s Park, and train stations for those outside of London. Our venue is served by several buses and has a taxi rank just outside our front door.
Visit our getting here page for more information on planning your visit to Mary Sumner House.
Every event held at Mary Sumner House is supported by our team of in-house event professionals, who will work with you to ensure all of your event requirements are met. Our team have a wealth of experience, so they are fully equipped to help you choose the right space for your event, as well as providing recommendations on AV and external catering.
When you choose Mary Sumner House, you’re securing an affordable, high-quality venue while supporting women’s empowerment worldwide. Contact us today for availability, pricing, or to arrange a viewing of our historic meeting rooms.
Mary Sumner House is a historic, Grade II listed venue in the heart of Westminster, London. Built in 1925 and named after Mary Sumner, founder of Mothers’ Union, it serves as the headquarters for the international Christian charity which works in 84 countries. The building is available for venue hire and is suitable for a range of events, including conferences, workshops, team away days, interviews, and meetings, with every booking directly supporting Mothers’ Union’s mission to empower women and fight injustice worldwide.
Mary Sumner House is based in a prime Central London location on Tufton Street, near Parliament Square and Westminster Abbey. We’re surrounded by excellent transport links, and can be reached via tube, train, and bus. For more information on how to find us, visit our getting here page.
Mary Sumner House offers assisted wheelchair access and access for guests with mobility issues. There is a ramp from street level into the building, and lifts to access Lower Ground, Ground, 1st & 2nd Floors for meeting rooms. The Conference Hall on the Lower Ground floor can be accessed by the stair lift for wheelchair users, and there are disabled access toilets on the 2nd and 4th floors.
The team warmly welcomes site visits so you can see the venue in person before booking. To arrange a viewing, fill in the enquiry form, or call us on 020 7222 5533. If you’re unable to attend an in-person visit, please check out our virtual tour.
We don’t have on-site parking available, however, there are plenty of public car parks close to the venue that you can use, including Q-Park Victoria. There are also taxi drop-off points directly outside Mary Sumner House.
