St. George's Anglican Church, Penang, Malaysia — Attraction in George Town

Must visit place while you in Penang

After the British East India Company took possession of the island of Penang in 1786, the spiritual care of the colonists was effected by Church of England chaplains attached to the EIC. Early religious services were held at the chapel of Fort Cornwallis and later at the Court House located opposite the present church building.

Proposals for the building of a permanent church were submitted as early as 1810 but was only acted upon after the passing of the East India Company Act 1813 (Charter Act) whereby the EIC received a 20-year extension of its charter. Approval was obtained in 1815 to build the church based on the architectural plans drawn up by Major Thomas Anburey but the church was eventually built on the plans drawn up by the Governor of Prince of Wales Island (as Penang was known then), William Petrie, and modified by Lieutenant Robert N. Smith of the Madras Engineers. Smith was a colleague of Colonel James Lillyman Caldwell, the chief architect of St. George's Cathedral in Madras, and the architecture of St. George's Church is believed to be based on the cathedral itself.

Amongst those consulted on the building of the church was the Rev. Robert Sparke Hutchings, the Colonial Chaplain of Prince of Wales Island. Hutchings would later be instrumental in setting up the Penang Free School. The building was completed in 1818 while Hutchings was still away in Bengal and church services were officiated by a Rev. Henderson. The church was consecrated on 11 May 1819 by the Bishop of Calcutta, Thomas Fanshawe Middleton.

The first significant event that took place in the church after its completion was the wedding of the Governor, William Edward Philips to Janet Bannerman, the daughter of his predecessor, Colonel John Alexander Bannerman on 30 June 1818.

The building was significantly damaged during the Japanese occupation of Malaya and a lot of her interior fittings were looted. Services were not to be held in the church until repairs concluded in 1948. Currently Bishop Dr Stephen Soe Chee Cheng is the Suffragan Bishop of the Area Diocese of Northern Peninsula with the Diocese of West Malaysia: Vicar of St. George’s Church Penang, the Oldest Anglican Church in...

Had a snarky experience with the staff at heritage centre when i was doing the stamps, she did say hello and i did say hello back maybe softly… i proceeded to do the stamps as most places would allowed to do so… without saying much, was placed at the table and i requested as she came by if i could stamp on personal book.. she replied back” u already stamped u must ask first mah”

Coming from a Christian background myself i was pretty shocked at her reply and response… shouldnt u be inviting and receptive not showing attitude those who come to the holy area regardless of who they are… even if i am a tourist who came so far to visit this place and coming from Anglican school myself

I get it that maybe she wanted me ask for her permission … but look at my perspective i came here late afternoon from further north and with its short opening time 9-1pm … this was the only stamp i was left incomplete since i came at 4-5pm .i was disappointed made a morning trip at 9am this indian lady shove me her attitude back for my morning endeavours… at 945am

Please do reflect that the stamps are part of a travelers journey and should be freely accessible to all …. Not frowned upon as if is their personal property is supposed to be a fun journey until at St...

The outside of the church is quite nice, and as an American Episcopal priest I was delighted to see on the website that on Saturday at Noon there are Mid-Day prayers scheduled. However, when I got there the church was locked up and the security guard stated there were no liturgies scheduled for Saturday. Just an observation, however the website could be updated to remove Noonday prayer (and possibly Morning Prayer at 6:00 am). I would have loved to have visited the church, and was disappointed the website incorrectly listed a liturgy that was not being observed.I have a flight at 12:15 on Sunday and will not be able to double back around, so disappointed that I couldn't have a bit of sacred time in the parish before departing. I just double-checked- Saturday afternoon, 16 June- the website on my return to my hotel room to insure that I did not imagine it, and sadly there it is on Saturday: "12 Noon Mid-Day Prayers (Said) in Church" (as well as 6:00 am Morning Prayers (Said) in Lay Chapel") Thank you, Fr. William D. Razz Waff, Diocese of...