St Andrews Church - Famous Church and Popular Tourist Attraction
To find an Anglican church in Morocco might sound odd to some, but Tangier is home to a very famous little church and a popular tourist attraction in Tangier named St. Andrews Church. Hassan I of Morocco provided the first strip of land in the year 1880 to the English where they were able to erect an iron church. Soon the church became too small to accommodate the congregation and plans to build a new church were made.
The cornerstone for the new Church of St. Andrews was laid in the year 1894 and the church was consecrated in 1905. It is a church that was well documented, as services registers between the years 1885 to 1991 and even the accounting books for the years 1882 to 1926 are still in existence. The neat church with its clean rows of pews is still well attended every Sunday morning and worshippers come from far and wide to attend the morning service. What makes this church so unique and interesting is the Lord’s Prayer. Behind the altar on the archway, visitors will be able to view a version of this well known prayer in Arabic.
The St. Andrews Church is often visited by tourists because of some of the famous names that have been laid to rest in the graveyard. Amongst the two hundred tombstones are the names of well-known bankers and historically famous generals. Names such as Major Harry Twentyman, Winthrop Buchanan and Hooker A. Doolittle are also found here. Most notorious, is the tombstone that bears no Christian name, but only reads: “Died February 1963. Missed by all and sundry.” This grave belongs to the legendary London drug lord known simply as "Dean". He fled to Morocco to evade a string of felonies that included money laundering. Emily Kean introduced the procedure of vaccinations to Morocco, which has most certainly saved countless lives, and was buried in the graveyard of the St. Andrews Church in Tangier.
The Church of St. Andrews is an attraction in Tangier that is a beautiful structure to investigate and is of great historical importance. Walking through the graveyard adds a touch of nostalgia and mystery, as visitors read the names and ponder on their lives and legacy that they might someday leave behind.
User Comments & Reviews
2010-02-28 09:13:40
My father G.O.W. Apperley RA RI [1884-1960] is buried at St. Andrews. www.apperley-art.com
2009-12-07 13:37:22
To Jon Mays, Thank you for visiting Morocco.com. Please note that we do not represent the St Andrews Church. However, we invite you to join the Forums and post your question there. Other forum members may be able to assist you.
2009-12-03 19:49:58
I am a retired RAF Squadron Leader & have just had a book published titled Wings Around Gibraltar which chronicles the history of aviation in Gibraltar. My research revealed that you have a small number of RAF graves in your churchyard. Can you please tell me anything about them?
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