St. George's Anglican Church is a Anglican church in Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis.

History

In 1670 the Jesuits had built a Church dedicated to Our Lady; but in 1706 Notre Dame was burned to the ground by English soldiers billeted there. It was re-built and officially renamed in 1710 St. George's, in the incumbency of the Rev. Alexander Cockburn. It stood on the site of the French Church. St. George’s was taken over for Anglican worship in the 1720’s. It was damaged again in the fire of 1763, but once again restored. The earthquake of 1842, followed by the hurricane of 1843, reduced it to so ruinous a condition that an entirely new building was planned.

New Church

The new Church was to be built to the east of the old and the corner stone was laid on October 22, 1844. The Church did not rise above its foundations; for twelve more years, the congregation continued to worship in the ruins of the old Church. In 1856 the present Church was begun, and it was consecrated on the 25 March, 1859. Seven years afterwards, it was gutted in the Great Fire of 1867; and was re-roofed, and restored in 1869.

Hurricanes and restoration work

In a series of hurricanes since 1989, the church was again damaged but restoration work has since been undertaken on the building.

References