Greytown was established in 1854 as an administrative centre of the then-British government of the colony of Natal. The town was built according to the street pattern of Pietermaritzburg, and is appropriately named Mgungundlovana ('little Elephant') after Pietermaritzburg's Zulu name - Mgungundlovu (the Elephant'). Greytown was originally billed to be called 'Pretorius', but the reigning regime disallowed it as he had borne arms against the British. The current name possibly honours Earl Grey, a renown British politician, but more probably Sir George Grey, the newly appointed governor of the Cape Colony. Sir George also gave his name to Grey College in Bloemfontein, Greys Hospital in Pietermaritzburg, Greyton in the Western Cape, and Greytown in New Zealand, where he also served as governor.
Cache co-ordinates
S29°AB.CDE
E030°FG.HIJ
Check your solution here
Final destination – age unknown, but probably of a similar vintage to those near the museum – hailing from 1879!
Please note the order of the questions - feel free to do them in a different order, but then you will need to cross the road on foot!
Starting co-ordinates
Waypoint 1 – S29°04.140; E030°34.648
Lutheran Church
The original Lutheran Church was built in 1854 – one of the first in Greytown. The current building was constructed here in the entrance to town from the Muden/Mooi River road.
Diagonally opposite the church is the Greytown High School. This was originally established as the first co-educational government school in 1883. In 1923 the junior and senior schools were separated and built a block apart on Durban Street. The High School moved to it's current premises in 1962, with the foundation stone from the original building built into its entrance.
Question 1: How many bells are there in the church bell tower?
Number = F
Waypoint 2 – S29°03.595; E030°35.497
Pine Street
Recently renamed Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Street, it is one of Greytown's busiest - home to many churches, businesses, and doctors' offices. Many old buildings can still be seen, housing various enterprises. The original shop front for 'Build-it' was demolished and rebuilt piece by piece at the back of the property as a store-house!
Question 2: Nedbank has its offices in the Davey Simpson Building - in what year was it built?
Year of building 19XX = AB
Waypoint 3 – S29'03.522; E030'35.553
WW1 Memorial
* This waypoint is temporarily unavailable due to construction. Please see Waypoint 4 for Question 3. *
The great war of 1914-1918 saw the Umvoti Mounted Rifles (UMR) called up to serve in Namibia (then South West Africa). A number of other Umvoti residents saw action in the field, and this plaque commemorates those who sacrificed their life for the sake of their country. Further information on Greytown's involvement is provided in displays in the Greytown Museum (situated in Scott Street, and held to be one of the most informative small town museums in the country).
Question 3: S Hohls served in which regiment?
No. = J
Waypoint 4 – S29°03.544; E030°35.564
Town Hall
The foundation stone was laid in 1897 but the building was only opened in 1904 after redesigning by Street Wilson of original plans drawn up by Stott and Tomlinson. The Towns' resources had been drained by the Anglo Boer war, so the building was only partially completed in 1898. The hall was the building the townspeople used to shelter in on threat of a siege during the Bambatha Rebellion in 1906. It was proclaimed a National Monument in 1980.
The clock tower previously housed the clock from the Pietermaritzburg City Hall, which was purchased by Greytown for a commemoration in the year that the hall was built. It was wound faithfully over the years until 1970, when it was replaced by the current electric clock. The original clock is now housed in the Presbyterian Church in Pietermaritzburg
Question 3: On what date was the foundation stone laid?
Add together the numbers of the day = J
Question 4: The clock was donated on an auspicious occasion. Who was the occasion commemorating?
Using the decryption code A=26; Z=1 etc, work out the number corresponding to the first letter of the person's first name = I
Waypoint 5 – S29°03.593; E030°35.602
Magistrate's office
This is the fourth Court House to be built in Greytown. The previous court house was built in 1887 on the same site (in what is now part of the garden of the new building), of solid stone, and was demolished when the current building was completed.
Two foundations stones (one in English and one in Dutch) were laid by Lady Leuchars on 14 October of the year of building. The building was completed that same year and occupied in the next.
Question 5: In what year was the building built?
192X = C
Waypoint 6 - S29°03.631; E030°'35.454
Leuchars Hall – St James Bookshop
Constructed of stone from the original old Greytown Court House, it was paid for by Sir George Leuchars, Minister of Agriculture under the Prime Minister Louis Botha during the first Union of South Africa parliament in 1910. He was also O.C. of the Umvoti Mounted Rifles 1898 – 1908. The Umvoti Mounted Rifles hall (built in 1880 as a masonic hall) can be found on Okes street next to the library – it is out of commision and is used by the Department of Public Works. However, the UMR still perform yearly in the KZN Millitary tattoo held in Durban.
Question 6: What is the memorial hall year of building?
19X6 = E
Waypoint 7 – S29°03.664; E030°35.442
Anglican church
This is the second church to be built on this plot, the original site now being a garden of remembrance. The original archway and stained glass windows brought from England in for the first church 1867 have been incorporated into the front porch. It is built of local stone, with the knave columns designed by Street Wilson, coming from Bath, England.
Question 7: On what date was the foundation stone laid?
Add the numbers in the day = G
Waypoint 8 – S29°03.697; E030°35.329
Voortrekker Eufees
A stone and two yellowwood trees inside the grounds of the NG Kerk commemorate the visit of the Ossewa Trek in 1938 on the centenary of the Groot Trek.
Question 8: When did the procession pass through town?
Add together the numbers of the month = D
Waypoint 9 – S29°03.696; E030°35.324
NG Kerk
The NG Kerk building is currently the oldest in Greytown. The first church built in 1856 was destroyed by a cyclone and was rebuilt in 1883. It was officially opened on 7 April by Lieutenant Governor Sir Henry Bulwer, with a naval Hussars guard of honour.
The bell, bought in 1961, was used to summon the Dutch and English communities to church. Unfortunately, when the bell was rung by one congregation during the other congregations service, it caused much ill-feeling between the communities. To resolve the issue, three young townsmen stole the bell and buried it. It was found some 74 years later when the foundations were laid for the Concordia cottages in Cathcart street. It was hung in an arch in the Dutch Reformed Church, but lo and behold stolen again a few years ago! It ended up with a scrap-dealer in Pietermaritzburg who returned it to where it now hangs in the church.
Question 9: When was the ''fondasie steen' of the present building laid.
Day = H