A Nun’s Story Book

Shirley Leach lived in a world of wealth, status, and privilege. Raised in a 23-bedroom country mansion, her youth was a whirlwind of grand dances, tennis matches, and being presented to the Royal Court of King George VI. She was deeply in love, happily engaged, and planning her future wedding when the unexpected happened.

In a single, profound moment while writing a letter to her fiancé, she experienced an overwhelming, irresistible calling to religious life - a path that had never even crossed her mind. Trading her debutante ball gowns for a nun’s habit, she took a leap of faith into the unknown and became Sister Agatha.

A Nun’s Story is a beautifully poignant, heartwarming, and often humorous account of love, loss, and unwavering belief. But the story doesn't end with her vows. Sister Agatha would go on to play a vital role in our history right here in York, eventually becoming the head of the Bar Convent. When the convent faced severe financial hardship, it was her bold determination that took her all the way to London to knock on the door of billionaire J. Paul Getty to secure the future of England’s oldest living convent.

A Sunday Times Top 10 bestseller, this book is a captivating read for anyone who loves memoirs of extraordinary lives, and a treasured piece of local history for visitors to the Bar Convent.