Why are there so many British cemeteries in Spain?

Britain and Spain have centuries of shared history, having been friends and foes through countless armed conflicts, royal marriages and alliances.

It would be best described as a love-hate relationship, although in modern times strong diplomatic, cultural and economic ties prevail.

Around 400,000 UK nationals currently reside in Spain, millions more visit España every year.

There’s everything here from British pubs to British schools and - some of you may not know - British cemeteries.  

READ ALSO - Where do Spain's British residents live in 2023?

According to the Foundation of British Cemeteries in Spain, there are around 30 British cemeteries to be found around the country.

So why are there so many cementerios británicos here? Is it simply because so many Brits have chosen Spain as their home?

According to the foundation, negotiations to build British cemeteries in Spain have actually been going on since the 17th century, but it wasn’t until the 19th century that any were established.

When a non-Catholic or Protestant died in Spain, it was a problem for the local Spanish communities as well as the British ones, as there were no provisions for them to be buried or have a funeral the way that their religion dictated. 

Finally, in the mid-19th century a Royal Decree was established in order to allow British communities in Spain to buy land, so that when non-Catholics died in the country, they could receive a proper burial according to their denomination.

READ ALSO: The towns in Spain where Brits outnumber locals

Thomas M. Gallagher Funeral Home states that: “The primary distinction between Protestant and Catholic funerals is that Catholics bless the mausoleum or ground before burying the remains or urn. Only a few prayers and commitments will be said for Protestant funerals”.

Catholic funerals are also more ritualistic, whereas Protestant ones focus more on the person than the ceremony.

The land was either bought on behalf of the British Crown, representatives from British companies established here, or by wealthy members of the British communities themselves.

It is worth keeping in mind that there are many cemeteries called ‘British’, ‘English’, ‘Protestant’, ‘Anglican’, ‘St George’ or ‘Episcopalian’ throughout Spain, but despite the names, the foundation states that they are not all in fact British.

Some belong to other countries and some are no longer owned by the British Crown.

Four of the most important British cemeteries in Spain are found in Valencia, Madrid, Bilbao and Málaga. Other important ones include those in Dénia (Alicante), Minas de Riotinto (Huelva), Linares (Jaén), Camariñas (A Coruña), and Tharsis (Huelva).

Several smaller ones can be found in San Sebastián, Huelva, A Coruña, Vilagarcía de Arousa and Cádiz. 

The Cementerio de los Ingleses in Madrid. Photo: Edescas / Wikimedia Commons

Madrid

The British Cemetery in Madrid is still owned by the British Government and was created in 1854. It was established as a place where non-Roman Catholics could be buried. Over the years however, many people from different countries and religions were laid to rest here, including Jewish, Russian and Greek Orthodox. 

The cemetery is still maintained by British residents in Madrid, and although today burials are seldom carried out here, it can still be used to lay ashes or commemorative plaques.

Bilbao

Bilbao may seem like an odd place for a British cemetery, given the fact that today most Brits live in the south of the country or along the Mediterranean coast, but it is one of Spain’s most important. It was established in 1860 and primarily used for those non-Catholic British people who died while helping to work on the Bilbao-Tudela railway line and in the Bilbao port.

Also known as the Siete Árboles or Seven Trees, it was originally located along the banks of the River Nervión, where today you’ll find the famed Guggenheim Museum, but in 1926 it was moved to the nearby municipality of Lujua due to health concerns, being located right in the centre of the city. After it was moved, it was decided that it would be expanded to include Catholics and other nationalities too.

 

Málaga

Although not as big as the first three, Málaga's English Cemetery, known as San Jorge or St George, is actually the oldest protestant cemetery in Spain.

It was founded in 1831, and is filled with various types of funerary monuments including neo-Gothic, modernist and even Celtic. Although no burials are allowed there today, it can like the one in Madrid, be used to scatter ashes.