| Rhenish Mission Church | |||||||
| Physical Address: | The Braak | Erf: | 668 | Applicable Legislation | |||
| Architectural Period: | Cape Dutch | Date built: | 1823; front wing 1840 | Older than 60 years: | no | PREV. NATIONAL MONUMENT: | |
| Style: | Cape Dutch | Type of building: | Religious |
 Date of photograph(s): 18 March 2025.
Date of photograph(s): 18 March 2025 |
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| Zoning: | Use: | Church | |||||
| Heritage Values | |||||||
| Rarity: | Significant | Historical: | Very Significant | ||||
| Aesthetical: | Very Significant | Technological: | Unassessed | ||||
| Cultural: | Very Significant | Social History: | Very Significant | ||||
| Slave History: | Very Significant | Present NHRA protection: | Previous "National monument (1963, and pulpit 1948)" | ||||
| Heritage Analysis | |||||||
| SITE & STRUCTURE DESCRIPTION: | "Thatched church in the shape of an incomplete T. The earlier part parallel to the Braak has pedimented gables with pilasters and straight sloping sides, and rusticated corner pilasters. The gable of the front wing has a winged pediment, curly sides, fluted pilasters and vases. The 3x3 door has a half-round small pane fanlight and a pilastered surround. 15x15 casements with arched small pane fanlights and simple plaster surrounds.Wrought iron fence with capped posts; double-arched bell-tower with fluted pilasters and ""ball"" vases." | ||||||
| History: | """Het Stellenbosche Meedewerkende Zendelings Genootschap"" was formed in 1801 with MJ Bakker as the first missionary. In 1822 he was replaced by Erasmus Smit and the land on the Braak was acquired from the Stellenbosch Turf Club. The original small rectangular church was completed in 1823 and inaugurated the following year, the opening sermon delivered by Rev Meent Borcherds of the DR Church. The congregation was transferred to the Rhenish Mission Society in 1829 with Rev D Luckoff as its first minister. As the church became too small, in 1839 the gallery was added and the vestry incorporated ... | ||||||
| Social History: | |||||||
| Alterations: | See History. At the time of first publication of Fransen & Cook (1965) the church had a corrugated iron roof. | ||||||
| General Evaluation: | Outstanding | ||||||
| Suggested Grading: | II | ||||||
| Date of Survey: | November 2009. Revised in 2025. | ||||||