Courtesy of Country Life Magazine
Villa Frere survives today as a unique example of a Neoclassical English landscape garden in Malta.
It owes its origins to John Hookham Frere (1769-1846), a prominent British diplomat and scholar who retired to the former colony to help improve the health of his ailing wife Lady Elizabeth Errol. Arriving in 1821, they settled in Valletta, and rented out a set of humble dwellings along the Pietà waterfront. Then a quiet and wholesome place, it seems to have been well liked by the family, as more adjoining land was acquired with a view of extending the gardens behind. Over time, in particular after the sad demise of Hookham Frere’s wife in 1831, it became the family’s permanent residence.
Villa Frere through the years
Courtesy of Country Life Magazine
Villa Frere in the late 1800’s
Courtesy of Price Family Archive
Villa Frere in the late 1800’s
Courtesy of Price Family Archive
Villa Frere in the late 1800’s
What’s going on at Villa Frere
What’s going on at Villa Frere
Courtesy of Tony Gatt
22 April
Open day at Villa Frere
Monthly Open Day
Our knowledgeable volunteers will guide you through the property and share fascinating stories about its past.
Courtesy of Tony Gatt
22 April
Open day at Villa Frere
Conserving Villa Frere
Our knowledgeable volunteers will guide you through the property and share fascinating stories about its past.
Courtesy of Tony Gatt
22 April
Open day at Villa Frere
How we’re supporting urban heritage
Our knowledgeable volunteers will guide you through the property and share fascinating stories about its past.