Cape Town is one of the most diverse cities in the world, from its sandy beaches and majestic mountains, to its diverse cultural feel and pulsating vibe of the city, to the laid-back country experience of the Boland and Overberg. For those who enjoy the laid-back, quiet outdoors and smell of fresh mountain air, Greyton is a gem of a town to visit and stay over. Nestled in a beautiful valley next to the meandering Gobos River, Greyton is a haven for artists and nature lovers. It is a place where you can unwind and relax.
Location of Greyton in the Western Cape
Greyton's Historical Roots
Greyton boasts a rich history back to the times when the Khoikhoi still freely roamed the plains of Southern Africa. Before Greyton was established in 1854, the verdant plains and forested ravines of the area were home to the Hessequas Khoikhoi tribe who had their kraals near the Gobos river, which they named after their ancestral chief. In 1793, Koekson's tribal lands were given to the young Dutchman, Marthinus Theunissen, who built a homestead (no longer standing) on his farm Weltevreden. The land was granted to a Dutchman, Marthinus Theunissen, who named his farm, Weltevreden, which means “well satisfied” or “contented”. Subsequent owners of Weltevreden included two wealthy brothers of the famous Cloete family from Constantia who bred horses. Later, in 1846, the farm was bought by an Englishman, Herbert Vigne, who established a village on the, naming the village "Greyton", after the Governor of the Cape Colony, Sir George Grey.
In 1846 a wealthy Englishman, Herbert Vigne, bought Weltevreden. He established a freehold agricultural village on Weltevreden in 1854, keeping two small portions for himself and bequeathing the remainder of the farm as commonage. The layout of the village was designed and set out by J G Rietz, a senior surveyor at the time, and remains essentially the same with only a few changes and additions through the years. The variously sized properties were made available to buyers of any race, nationality or religion at affordable prices. Greyton approximately a 90-minute drive by car along the N2 from Cape Town. The breathtakingly scenic drive over Sir Louries Pass, past the fruit farms of the Elgin district and down the Houwhoek pass into the Overberg region of the Western Cape make the trip a delightful treat and well worth your while, with a number of farmstalls and historical sites on the way farm.
In the 1860s, Herbert married a young girl of British stock named Elizabeth Belshaw - 27 years his junior. They settled on their farm, De Bos, in the village (subdivided by his heirs after his death in 1895). Within fifty years, a dedicated community of people had built houses, established businesses and smallholdings, opened a school and built two churches in the town.
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Many of the town's original buildings and features have survived, including the original leiwater (irrigation) system of street furrows, the town kraal and dipping tank, a blacksmith's house and forge, the school's boarding house and the extensive public commonage crisscrossed by walking, hiking and cycling paths that surround the town. The entrance to the town was not originally where it is today for the road came directly from Genadendal over the hill, and past Boschmanskloof, entering the town at the intersection of Main Road and Ds Botha Street. There, the De Villiers family built a trading store in 1860, as well as several communion rooms used by Dutch Reformed Church members who came to town for communion once a month.
Following Herbert Vigne's death in 1895, Greyton, like many Overberg towns, lived through harsh economic times that characterised the turn of the century. Many people left to make their fortunes elsewhere. Sending crops to Cape Town for sale was no longer viable. There were few jobs, families were large and people became impoverished. The Vigne descendants subdivided more land at the present entrance to the town, on which several large Victorian houses were built and still stand today. Opposite them, a very old flat-roofed building that was used for the first Anglican church services, was made into a Moravian school.
During the 1950s, the town was torn apart by the implementation of the Group Areas Act. Coloured families who had lived together for a century with neighbours of all races, were forced to sell their homes and farmland. Some left the town for good. Others relocated to new houses in the town at Heuwelkroon. Greyton owes much of its charm to the fact that its Cape Vernacular architectural heritage has remained largely intact.
The Post House: A Landmark Building
The Post House in Greyton
Many of town’s original buildings and have survived the times, including Greyton’s first post office, which was opened in the building where The Post House pub is found today. The Post House is one of the earliest buildings in Greyton, being constructed in 1860. It is the oldest building in Greyton, built in 1860 and originally used as a trading post. The local Post Office was housed in a part of the building. This was also Greyton’s post office, local pub and restaurant.
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While there are a number of establishments offering accommodation in Greyton, The Post House, built in 1860 as a trading post, post office and lodging for weary travellers, offers a delightful experience of old world charm with all the modern conveniences for travellers to enjoy. The Post House is one of the original buildings in Greyton and was declared a National Monument by former State President, F.W. de Klerk in December 1993.
The guest rooms of The Post House have recently been refurbished. Guests can enjoy the comfortable accommodation that The Post House offers for a weekend or mid-week getaway break. In addition to accommodation for weekend end visitors, The Post House offers accommodation and facilities for corporate functions. As a wedding venue, The Post House offers charm and romance, with some good old fashioned hospitality.
Other Historical Sites in Greyton
In the shade of the oak trees that line Greyton's Main Road, you'll find the Old Potter's Inn and Brewhouse, a heritage building dating back to the 1830s. No record exists to pinpoint the exact date the original building was completed, but it's said to have first been a shepherd's cottage, which still exists as part of the main structure today. That section is thatched, as were many cottages of the day. However, since the Greyton fire of 1987, which burnt down several houses in town, people have opted for flat roofs made of slate (and later corrugated iron), which don't burn as easily.
The cottage is more than 150 years old and predates the declaration of Greyton as a town. That only happened in 1854, when a freehold agricultural village was proclaimed on the farm Weltevreden, belonging to Herbert Vigne. The town was named after Sir George Grey, who was the governor of the Cape at the time. Greyton had a twin town over the Riviersonderend Mountains called Lady Grey, now McGregor.
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In 1927, construction began on a pass to link the two towns. Little progress was made and the job was abandoned in 1941 due to a lack of funds. To this day, no driveable route exists over the mountains. Travellers have to make a 195 km round trip - or hike the Boesmanskloof Trail between the towns. The Old Potter's Inn was declared a national heritage building in 1979. (It's one of two in Greyton, the other being The Post House, where the "give that man a Bell's" advert was filmed.)
After serving as a shepherd's cottage, it became a farmhouse and then, in 1881, a family home for the Mays. Joseph Hermanus Mays was a blacksmith, wagon-builder and carpenter who went on to become one of Greyton's first mayors. In the 1970s, the building was bought by Des and Peggy Madden who turned it into a pottery studio, Ploom's Pottery, which served as inspiration for its current name.
In later years it was a restaurant and guesthouse called Bernard's, and now it's an inn, restaurant and brewery owned by Dr Trevor Gerntholtz and managed by Leon Engelbrecht. Sit on the veranda and sip a craft beer while you watch the tranquil rhythm of Greyton play out before you. Their beers have fun names like Plaas Japie (saison), City Slicker (pale ale) and My China (rice lager).
As you observe the comings and goings on Main Road, reflect on the fact that Greyton only got its first tarred road in 1951, and Greyton Primary School (then Heuvelkroon) was only built in 1980!
Things change slowly here, and that's exactly what we love about it.
Genadendal Moravian Mission Station, which was founded by the missionary George Schmidt in 1737, is the oldest mission village in the Republic. The large number of historic buildings within the historic core date from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The road to the Moravian Mission Station, Genadendal, branches northwards from the national road a few kilometres west of Caledon.
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