English scholar, politician, poet and diplomat, the Rt. Honorable John Hookham Frere settled in Malta in 1820, seeking a warmer climate due to the poor health of his wife, Lady Elizabeth dowager Countess of Erroll. They moved to Malta together with his sister Susanna, taking up residence at Casa Correa Old Bakery Street in Valletta for a year, before leasing a property on the quiet Pietà waterfront together with the surrounding land then belonging to the Convent of St. Catherine, for a term of 99 years. Upon relocating, Frere undertook a major construction project of what would become Villa Frere and its famed gardens, attaining a quintessentially English character adorned with follies, curiosities and elegant belvederes.

The grand estate later became a sanctuary for academics, perhaps most famously Mikiel Anton Vassalli, who reportedly strategized with Frere as to how to establish Maltese as a written and taught language at the University. Following Hookham Frere’s death in 1846, Captain Edward Price, a retired naval commander, took on the remaining years of the lease. Price, a notable garden enthusiast nurtured Villa Frere, adding his own charming inclusions and improvements, enjoying the property till just before the outbreak of the Second World War. Suffering mild bombings, the estate then largely fell into disrepair, suffering much vandalism, overgrowth, neglect and destruction from encroaching development. In 2013, with just a fraction of its original sprawling size remaining, a small group of passionate heritage enthusiasts came together and set up a charity missioned with saving what survived of this once-enchanting place. Today, just over a decade later, the Friends of Villa Frere through its determined volunteers have successfully managed to preserve much of Hookham Frere’s remaining gardens, now under the patronage of Heritage Malta, sharing their hard work with the public for which the Grade 1 site is opened every first Sunday of the month.

Villa Hay stands within the lush gardens of Villa Frere with origins dating back to 1740. Despite its grandiose name this is in fact a small cottage which was used as a retreat for Lady Erroll and later for guests visiting the fabled property. During those post-war years, this quaint building suffered extensive damage leading to the collapse of most of its ceilings and other losses such as many apertures, floorings and balustrades. Decades of water ingress, uncontrolled vegetal growth and sheer abandonment left Villa Hay as little more than a ruin. In 2021, the Friends of Villa Frere embarked on its full restoration. Two years later, the Malta Airport Foundation partnered with the voluntary organisation to assist with Villa Hay’s preservation by funding the repointing of the villa’s façades, repair works on all internal doors and timber beams, as well as the repairing and white-washing of most walls and ceilings on both the lower and upper floors. The project was concluded in 2024.

Villa Hay today hosts static exhibitions and occasional public lectures about this unique historic monument, which is increasingly becoming a popular heritage site.

To learn more about the Malta Airport Foundation’s projects, particularly its investment in the preservation of the islands’ artistic heritage, click here.