St Lupus, Kirk Malew
A unique church with a colourful history.
Worship continues on a site with a history dating back at least 800 years.
Our weekly services are normally taken from the Book of Common Prayer and are held at
9:30am every Sunday
Members of the regular congregation are frequently joined by visitors and friends from a much wider church family.
Tea and Coffee are usually served after services.
St Lupus is located on Church Bends (part of the Southern 100 race course).
The church is open most days from 9:30am until dusk.
In 2014 a major restoration of the exterior of St Lupus was begun.
This work is one of a number of projects undertaken by be Friends of Malew
in partnership with Church.
To find out more about the Friends click on the image below to be taken to their website.
The name ‘Malew’ is derived from either one or two saints, or a combination of the two. The Church is believed to have been originally dedicated to St Lua or Molua, a celtic Saint who also gave his name to Killaloe in Ireland.
However, the Roman church is said to have objected strongly to Irish Saints who did not appear on their calendar and from the beginning of the 15th century, the church was dedicated to St Lupus, the 5th century Bishop of Troyes in France.
It is not known exactly when the present church was built. However, the Isle of Man was divided in to parishes in the 12th century, and it is thought that parts of the current building may well date from then, or perhaps even earlier. The nave is the oldest part of the building.
Historically, Malew Church was one of the most important churches on the Island, due to the fact that until 1921 it was the parish church of Castletown which was the Island’s capital from the 13th century until 1874, and much of the population of the town were buried in the churchyard there.
The significance is still recognised today as it is customary for the Bishop of the Diocese to give his first and last sermon on the Island in this church.
