The cache is a small plastic container inside a ziplock bag. It can
only take a pencil, sharpener, one or two small trackables and a
log sheet.
The area is very shady and the GPSr readings very jumpy ... Taken
with 8 meter accuracy.
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.
In 1830 a horse mill was
built to grind corn for bread making. In 1839 the horse mill was
replaced by a water mill. In 1873, a steam engine was used to turn
the mill along with the water, which was replaced with a diesel
engine. The mill stopped operating in December 1954. According to
various websites the water mill was restored and declared a
national monument in 1973. Talking to a local however this
apparently never happened. It is presently in a bad state with
visible fire damage.
The cache is placed about
103 meters away from the mill on the little hill behind it as this
seemed more muggle free.After you found the cache explore this
village and experience history of a special nature!!
The mission village is
well known and of historical and cultural importance ... the amount
of litter in the area is disappointing!
FTF Congratulations goes to battlerat and
pussycat!!