Please place exactly as it was
found!!
In pre-colonial times, the
indigenous Khoi people inhabited the area now known as Mamre. In
the 1700's permission was granted by the Dutch East India Company
to farmers to graze their cattle in this area, then known as
Groenekloof. Between 1701 and 1791 a permanent military outpost was
maintained to deal with the problems arising from the contact
between the farmers and the indigenous inhabitants.
In 1806, the Cape passed into the
possession of the British. The Earl of Caledon, the Governor at the
time asked the Moravian missionaries, based at Genadendal, to
establish a second mission station at Groenekloof. The government
farm De Kleine Post and the adjoining Louwskloof and
Cruijwagenskraal were given to the Moravians for this purpose. In
1854, the Moravians renamed the area as Mamre. The Moravian
converts were, from 1808, allowed to settle on the land close to
the church, the origins of the present day Mamre.
The complex which includes a church,
parsonage, school, cook house and long house (former barracks) was
declared a National Monument in 1967. The main group of buildings
is still owned, administered and used by the Moravian Church.
The Mamre Mission Station is the
fifth oldest church building in South Africa. The building was
completed in 1818 although the gospel was first preached from
beneath the poplar trees of Louwskloof in 1808. The date 18
February 1818 can still be found on the original pediment. In 1885,
the organ was ordered from Denmark and was initiated on 27 November
1887 and can still be found in its original form. The Church Bell
is a hanging artwork of 250 kg with certain biblical text verses
inscribed on the bell, written in Dutch. The four angels motif is
placed at the top watching over the bell.
The date on the Gable of the
Parsonage is 1697, which makes this building the oldest in Mamre.
This building served as a home, place of religious services and
education for the children. In the early years it belonged to the
Dutch East India Company, a hunting lodge for Adriaan van der Stel
and finally was home to the missionaries.
The Cook house dates back to 1700.
It was used as a police station and a jail for a short period of
time. The architecture of the building from an old photograph shows
the chimney on the left gable. The fireplace inside is still on the
left side, but for some unknown reason, the chimney is at present
in the middle of the roof. It now serves as a kitchen in times of
festivities.
The Long House is exactly as it's
name says. A long house with six front doors and six windows. The
centre of the building has an attractive concave-convex gable. It
is a stone building with thick walls which are plastered in front.
This building was used as barracks by soldiers of the Dutch East
India Company in the early years.
After you found the cache explore
this village and experience history of a special nature!!
FTF Congratulations goes to battlerat and
pussycat!!