Until the Cholera Epidemic in 1854, all burials would take place in churchyard cemeteries. It was estimated that one sixth of the population died from the disease. To solve the 'dangerous' health problem posed by the cholera epidemic, the Government purchased land at Springfield for use as a Cemetery for the Parish of St. George. In 1858, legislation was passed prohibiting burials anywhere else in Basseterre than at the Springfield Cemetery. In 1862, the Mortuary Chapel in Springfield Cemetery was erected at public expense for use by all religious denominations to conduct services for those persons who had died at the nearby Cunningham Hospital.

"..in the early stages of the French occupation of Basseterre, a Roman Catholic Church was erected in the town by the Jesuits and dedicated to Our Lady. Notre Dame was burnt to the ground in 1706 during the Anglo-French War by English soldiers who were billeted there. The Church was re-built by 1710 and re-named St. George's. From the 1720's, it became a place of worship for the Anglicans.

After the take-over of the island by the English in 1713, Roman Catholics were forbidden by law to worship in public. They also suffered certain civil and military disabilities. For example, Roman Catholics were required to take and subscribe certain oaths and declarations, such as the declaration against Transubstantiation, before they would quality for civil or military office or for sitting and voting in the island's legislature. An Act passed in 1829 finally to remove all disabilities. As a consequence, there was a revival of Roman Catholicism.

The steady influx of Portuguese migrants from the island of Madeira from 1835 onwards strengthened the growth of the Roman Catholic community." Inniss (1985)

A church was built in or about 1856; it was called the Church of the Immaculate Conception. In 1927, it was demolished and replaced by a modern edifice on the same site on East Square Street. Father Claeys who was an architect of repute designed the church. It was dedicated on 6 December 1928.

The Formation House was the residence for the Catholic nuns and the Manse was for the priests.

"In Basseterre by 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. Georges'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.

The new Church was to be built to the east of the old and the corner stone was laid on October the 22nd. 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 25th. March, 1859. Seven years afterwards, it was gutted in the Great Fire of 1867; and was re-roofed, and restored in 1869." (Manchester, 1971)

In a series of hurricanes since 1989, the church was again damaged but restoration work has since been undertaken on the building. For more information about the Anglican church visit www.stkittsanglicanchurch.org