Ampleforth College

St Margaret's

St Margaret’s was the first 13-18 girls' house to open at Ampleforth in 2004. It was establishes as a girls House hence the pink and blue House colours.  It is situated at the lower end of the campus with the most spectacular views of the valley.  It is housed jointly with St Hugh’s boys’ house in a building called Fairfax House.  The building has won design awards and is extremely environmentally friendly. 

Our Patron Saint is St Margaret Clitheroe of York, who was a well-known married catholic woman in York and a fitting saint for today’s Ampleforth girls who will require just as much strength of character and courage as their patron.

The house currently has 64 girls.  The first year girls sleep in dorms of 4,  second and third year girls have twin rooms and the sixth form all have their own rooms.  All rooms in the house are en-suite with a nice modern design.  The house has its own chapel, kitchen, common rooms, laundry and boot room.

The Housemistress is Gaelle McGovern who has previous experience of running a sixth form boarding house in an all-girls' school. She became Housemitress in 2007. She has a theology degree from Oxford and a masters in theology from Lancaster.  

She is married and has 4 children Patrick, Maire, Frankie and Annie.