St George’s Restoration Project 2025–2028
How you can help restore and transform our church buildingSo Where Did It All Start?
Do you remember when you went to pull out a couple of weeds in the garden and spent the whole day out there, weeding, cutting down a couple of trees for good measure, digging out a new pond and spending thousands at the garden centre? Or when it seemed like a good idea to tidy up the kitchen cupboard and you spent the whole weekend repainting the hallway, the living room and the kitchen?
St George’s restoration project started in a not dissimilar fashion! Someone suggested that the inside walls needed a fresh coat of paint and someone said ‘yes, and the floor needs a good polish too’, and before long, the Chaplaincy Council of St George’s was involved in full-blown discussions about how to fund a renovation project estimated at a quarter of a million euros. That’s the start of the current story. But let’s go back in time a bit and ask ourselves what St George’s was built for originally.
History
Located within the English Cemetery in Málaga, it was originally built in 1839-40 as a “lodge temple” designed to serve as a cemetery chapel and a dwelling for the cemetery caretaker. Constructed in a classical style with Doric columns, it acted initially as a place for funerary services rather than a fully recognised church, as non-Catholic worship was restricted in Spain. It was designed to provide a dignified resting place for the British merchant community and other foreign Protestants, who were previously buried at night on the beach. It became a fully-fledged church in 1890-91, the first Anglican church in mainland Spain after the Spanish Constitution of 1869 allowed for freedom of worship.
Some restoration work was done in the 1960s, with the addition of the brick-built chancel at the back of the church, and more was done to the cemetery gatehouse and the cemetery generally in the early part of the 21st century, with the creation of the Cemetery Foundation (which also has ultimate responsibility for the Church building).
The Situation Today
- The electrics are far from optimal and cut out regularly when over-loaded
- The paint is peeling
- There are cracks in the vestry walls and ceiling
- The sewerage system for the single toilet is not fit for purpose, leading to an under-sized septic tank
- The pews are getting wonky
- There is no play area for small children
- Insufficient storage in the vestry
- No hot water in the undersized kitchen…
…and the list goes on and on!
The Project
Under the leadership of the Church’s Fabric Committee, the proposed works will deliver:
- Urgent repair and conservation works, inside and out, which will address all the items listed above
- Step and step-free access via a ramp up to the main entrance of the church building
- Transformation of the vestry and sacristy to the side of the church, creating a new space to include a properly equipped kitchen, much improved storage and accessible toilets to the outside
- Sustainability, by renewing heating, lighting and audio-visual systems, to make the church a flexible space that can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, such as for music, art, more dynamic worship, and corporate events
- Flexibility with the addition of movable pews so that the church will be able to accommodate a wide range of events including art exhibitions, concerts, seminars, music workshops, fashion shows, social and corporate events. With the new pews, St George’s will continue to be a place of worship, and be even more inviting as a venue for significant life events such as christenings, weddings and funerals.
One of the proposals put forward by the architects, involves sky-lights, not unlike features from the very original building.
NB Images subject to change as plans develop
Post-Restoration Outcomes
The restoration of St George’s will bring many lasting benefits beyond the completion of the project itself. Not least among these is the creation of a space where all may step away from the clamour and rush of daily life, and find a place for quiet reflection, contemplation, and rest. Other benefits will include:
- The restoration of a BIC (Bien de Interés Cultural – equivalent to a listed building in the United Kingdom) for current and future generations to enjoy
- Greater sustainability in its day to day running
- Making this important building available and accessible for people of all faiths and none
- Facilitating outreach programmes with local charities and community groups
- The opportunity to deliver more events, including music, heritage experiences, local art competitions, and a community choir
- Together with work currently going on in the cemetery gardens, this will result in a church and cemetery of unexpected beauty in this busy urban area, drawing in more visitors and parishioners than ever before
- Providing a vibrant, diverse environment, welcoming all, and anchoring St George’s as the religious, cultural and creative hub of Malagueta.
How You Can Help
The total estimated restoration cost is €250,000.
An application for public funding is currently in progress, with a decision expected in May 2026. If successful, this funding could cover more than half of the total project cost. The remaining balance will be raised through private donations and a series of church-led fundraising activities.
As a community, we are setting ourselves a goal of 18 months to raise the required funds and bring this important project to completion.
If you’d like to help in this exciting project in any way, please do let us know. You can contact any of the following:
Chaplain: Fr. Louis Darrant
Treasurer: Tristram Congreve
Project Manager: Aitana Riordan Fernandez
Fundraising: David Tweed
And finally, please bookmark this page to receive further updates as the project proceeds.