Auberge d'Angleterre: A Knightly Relic in Birgu

Auberge d'Angleterre, located in Birgu (Vittoriosa), Malta, is a historical building that dates back to around 1534. It was originally constructed to house the knights of the Order of Saint John who came from the langue of England, which included England, Scotland, and Ireland. The Auberge incorporates an earlier single-story building that belonged to a Maltese woman named Catherine Abela.In December 1534, the building was sold to Sir Clement West, an English knight, who then donated it to the langue of England in May 1535. It was then converted into the headquarters of the English langue, with a first floor being added. The rear of the Auberge was connected to the Auberge d'Allemagne, which no longer exists. The Auberge is also located next to the house of Sir Oliver Starkey, who was the secretary of Grand Master Jean de Valette.The langue of England was suppressed in the mid-16th century during the English Reformation, which is why no English auberge was built in Valletta when the Order moved their capital in the 1570s. The langue was re-established as the Anglo-Bavarian Langue in 1782 and housed in a former palace known as Auberge de Bavière. Today, the Auberge d'Angleterre houses the Vittoriosa Health Centre. The building is built in the Melitan style, based on traditional Maltese architecture, and has a similar layout to the Auberge de France.The Auberge d'Angleterre is a Grade 1 national monument and is listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands.