The English Cemetery in

Málaga Málaga (; ) is a Municipalities in Spain, municipality of Spain, capital of the Province of Málaga, in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia. With a population of 591,637 in 2024, it is the second-most populo ...

(), or Anglican Cemetery, or Cemetery of St George, is the oldest non-Roman Catholic

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

cemetery A cemetery, burial ground, gravesite, graveyard, or a green space called a memorial park or memorial garden, is a place where the remains of many death, dead people are burial, buried or otherwise entombed. The word ''cemetery'' (from Greek ...

established on mainland Spain.

History and description

The English Cemetery in Málaga, where St George's

Anglican Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...

Church stands, is the result of the inspiration and concern of William Mark, who was

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

Consul Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states thro ...

in Málaga from 1824 until 1836. In the eight years he had lived in Málaga before his appointment as Consul, he had looked "with great disgust" on the way Protestants had to be buried on the sea shore at dead of night, because those who professed a creed other than

Catholicism The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

could not be buried in consecrated ground, namely in the parish churches, monasteries and cemeteries of Málaga. Due to his persistent efforts, Mark was finally given permission to create a permanent cemetery on the Vélez road outside the walls of the city, thanks to the Royal Order of

Ferdinand VII Ferdinand VII (; 14 October 1784 – 29 September 1833) was King of Spain during the early 19th century. He reigned briefly in 1808 and then again from 1813 to his death in 1833. Before 1813 he was known as ''el Deseado'' (the Desired), and af ...

, issued on 11 April 1830. The adjoining mortuary is now the church library. During the years immediately after 1830, the cemetery was greatly extended, and in 1839–40 a "lodge temple" was built in classical style with a small chapel and incorporating the cemetery guard's dwelling. With its fine Doric columns, this structure was adapted and enlarged in 1890–91 to become the present St George's Anglican Church. In 1856, a gatehouse was constructed in Gothic style at the entrance to the cemetery. The cemetery covers over and contains more than 1,000 graves. The cemetery is also a

botanical garden A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is ...

with a number of unusual specimens of trees and plants. With several well-known people buried there, it has become one of Málaga's historical sites. In 2005 the cemetery gatehouse, for many years the home of the cemetery gardener, was renovated and now houses a small Visitors' Centre and gift shop as well as providing space for St George's Church lunches and other activities. The Gatehouse is staffed by volunteers, mainly from the church, and is providing a modest but steady income for both the church and the cemetery.

Ownership and management

From its inception, the cemetery was the property of the British Government. However, no funds had been provided for its upkeep for many years. After several years' work, formal registration of the English Cemetery in Málaga Foundation was granted on 13 July 2010. The Foundation is now responsible for the management of the cemetery. Its Board comprises three Spaniards, three Britons, one German and one Italian, and includes three members of St George's Church. (The church is administered by the Chaplaincy). The President of the Board is a former British Consul in Málaga.

Notable interments

Among the notables buried here are: * Robert Boyd (1805–1831), revolutionary, executed with General Torrijos in a failed attempt to overthrow King

Gerald Brenan Edward FitzGerald "Gerald" Brenan, CBE, Military Cross, MC (7 April 1894 – 19 January 1987) was a British writer and hispanist who spent much of his life in Spain. Brenan is probably best known for ''The Spanish Labyrinth'', a historical wo ...

(1894–1987),

writer * Geoffrey Beyts (1908–2000), British Brigadier who informed

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

she was the Queen on her father's death. * Marjorie Grice-Hutchinson (1908–2003), English economist * John Goodnow (1868–1907), United States Consul General, Shanghai * Jorge Guillén (1893–1984), Spanish

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator (thought, thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral t ...

, a member of the

Generation of '27 The Generation of '27 () was an influential group of poets that arose in Spain, Spanish literary circles between 1923 and 1927, essentially out of a shared desire to experience and work with avant-garde forms of art and poetry. Their first form ...

* Aarne Haapakoski (1904–1961), Finnish writer * Henry Hamilton Bailey (1894–1961), influential author of surgical textbooks. * Rowland Langmaid (1897-1956), British seaman, engraver, artist and war artist. * Gamel Woolsey (1895–1968), American poet and novelist and the Captain and some crew of the German corvette SMS ''Gneisenau'', wrecked off Málaga in 1900.

Gallery

File:Entrada cementerio inglés.jpg, Cemetery entrance File:Saint George Málaga.jpg, Saint George cemetery chapel File:Anglican Cemetery, Málaga 02.jpg, Grave decorated with scallops File:Vidriera Saint George.jpg, Stained glass of St. George at the cemetery File:Cementerio inglés Málaga5.jpg, Grave of Mary Ann (Annie) Plews

External links

Official website
*

{{DEFAULTSORT:English Cemetery, Malaga Cemeteries in Spain Anglican cemeteries in Spain Buildings and structures in Málaga Tourist attractions in Andalusia