St George's Church

St George's was consecrated in 1819, built by convict labour on land granted by the East India Company, and it is the oldest Anglican church still standing in Southeast Asia - a plain Georgian box with a Doric portico and a spire, whitewashed, set back behind railings in a compound of lawn and mature trees. In the grounds is a small domed memorial to Francis Light, who founded the British settlement on Penang in 1786. The building was badly damaged during the Second World War, when the roof and fittings were lost, and restored afterwards; a further major restoration was completed in 2011, after which it was gazetted as a national heritage site. It remains an active parish church with services in English, so visiting hours work around them.

What you actually see

• A Georgian portico and spire - plain white classicism from 1818.
• The Francis Light memorial - the domed monument to the settlement's founder in the grounds.
• A walled compound - lawn and old trees separating it from the street.
• An active parish - services continuing in the oldest Anglican church in the region.

When to go

All year; outside service times. Half an hour.

Honest expectations

The interior is plain and quickly seen; opening hours are limited and vary. Services take priority. Almost everything original inside was lost in the war and replaced.

Nearby

The Penang State Museum, Kapitan Keling Mosque and Fort Cornwallis are close.