Rhenish Mission Church

723

Overview

Address

Webersvallei Road

Date Built

Suggested Grading

IIIA

Property Number

723

Present NHRA protection

S34

Older than 60 years - at time of survey

yes

Description

The Rhenish Church is located to the east at the highest point of the settlement, and is a very simple structure of rectangular plan and under pitched roof with end gables, c1924. Its tall windows, spaced between buttresses, have Gothic arches. A modern entrance portico has been added facing Webersvallei Road.

Details

Valley

Area

Landscape Unit

Townscape

Jamestown

Landscape Unit Grade

Grade II

Architect / Builder

Current Use

Church

Original Use

Church

General Evaluation

Interior Description

History

The settlement dates back to 1903 when Rhenish Mission settlers made Stellenbosch their home, and <br /> established Jamestown on the outskirts of the town in order for members of their congregation, <br /> many of whom were farm labourers, small scale subsistence farm

Grouping with other sites

Evidence of Demolition

Contextual Design

The church would once have had a more dramatic visual relationship to the Helderberg Range, and would have been visible upon entering the village along Webersvallei Road. However, insensitive and over-scaled development has erroded this visual and contex

Invasive Elements

Heritage Vulnerability

Loss of authenticity due to alterations and inappropriate development.
:

back to top

Map

To use the map, please open & follow the instructions below:

  1. Click here to view the map.
  2. Check Heritage Resources.
  3. Check Townscape Units.
  4. Check Landscape Units.
  5. Click & drag to move map around and find property.
  6. Use + and – in top left hand corner to zoom in or out.

Latitude/Longitude

-33.980038 / 18.853214
:

back to top

Additional Information

Additional Documents

Survey

2016

Circa

Admin Area

Allotment

Zoning

:

back to top

Date of survey

2016

Linked to erf/erven

Linked Address

Environment

Valley PDF

No document

AREA PDF

No document

Landscape Unit PDF

No document

Townscape PDF

2016 Survey Document - Site PDF

OTHER DOCUMENTS

:

back to top

NHRA Significance

Age

Low

Archaeology

Low

Architectural

Low

Associational

High

Intangible

* SCALE USED: High / Medium / Low / None

Rarity

Medium

Representivity

Low

Scientific

None

Symbolic

High

Statement of Significance

The church is the historic spiritual heart of the village, and has been important to its development for many decades, although that importance, both practically and in terms of the spatial layout of the settlement, has recently been eroded. The site has high historical, social and contextual significance. It is a rare example. It has a strong association with the history of slavery in the winelands.

Landscape Significance

:

back to top

Additional Photos

:

back to top