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The Manor House of St. Thomas Manor witnessed the rebirth of the Jesuits and has been conspicuous in the history of the Province. Here, for over 170 years, lived the Superiors of the Jesuits, acting as Vicar General for the Vicar Apostolic of the London district in England.

Built in 1741 as the residence for the Superior of the Maryland Mission, it was the center of the mission circuit of St. Thomas the Apostle, which served all of Charles County, part of Prince George’s County, and part of Virginia. Letters in Rome show that in 1741, some complained that "The Jesuits at St. Thomas Manor are raising a palace unbecoming a religious order."

The Jesuit Province of Maryland was established here in 1833 and St. Thomas Manor was the home of Fr. William McSherry, S.J., the first Provincial Superior.

Many of the earliest Catholic missionaries met here on business, including John Carroll, the first Bishop of the United States. His successor, Archbishop Leonard Neale, lived in the neighborhood, and his brother, Francis Neale was pastor at St. Ignatius. Fr. Francis Neale brought the first Carmelite Nuns to America and settled them in this parish.

The ceilings of the Manor House are 12-1/2 feet high. All the interiors date from 1867-68. The fancy plaster work was done by Jesuit Brothers about 1875. The grandfather clock is more than 180 years old. In the rebuilding after the fire, some modifications were made; otherwise, the structure is as it was originally built. The Manor House itself is the oldest Jesuit residence in continuous use in the world.