The Stellenbosch Museum offers visitors a glimpse into the rich history and cultural heritage of the City of Oaks at the Village Museum, the Toy and Miniature Museum, and the VOC Kruithuis, explains Debbie Gabriels, manager of the Stellenbosch Village Museum. PHOTO: Megan Muller.
The Stellenbosch Village Museum was established in 1962 and is situated in the historic town of Stellenbosch. A popular destination amongst locals and tourists alike, the museum is a preservation of history and cultural heritage that is illustrative of architectural periods from 1709 to 1850.
The Stellenbosch Village Museum was first established on 23 March 1962, by a group of Stellenbosch inhabitants.
The return of an art collection to its owners in the United Kingdom, had left what subsequently became known as Grosvenor House, standing open, explains Debbie Gabriels, manager of the Stellenbosch Village Museum.
“The available space was then used to preserve and exhibit artefacts on the history of Stellenbosch. What started out as one building, eventually led to the establishment of a full-scale museum that now consists out of seven buildings,” says Gabriels.
What started out as one building, eventually led to the establishment of a full-scale museum that now consists out of seven buildings,”
Debbie Gabriels
Rich in European architectural design and boasting exquisite gardens, the Stellenbosch Village Museum consists of four buildings that form part of what is known as the Stellenbosch Village Museum Complex. It includes Schreuderhuis, Blettermanhuis, Grosvenor House and the O.M Berghhuis, according to Gabriels.
Along with the Village Museum Complex, the Stellenbosch Museum also owns buildings that are situated on separate properties, such as Erfurthuis which has a fully equipped reference library, says Gabriels.
Another building belonging to the museum is the antique Toy Museum that is situated in the Rhenish Complex in Market Street. It hosts a collection of antique toys.
The last building, the Kruithuis, which was built by the Dutch East India Company in 1777, is now home to a collection of firearms, cannons and military regalia.
The furniture found within the houses are from specific time periods. It documents how the first settlers lived and is reflective of the lifestyle changes that took place throughout these times.
Stellenbosch Village Museum foyer is filled with all sorts of historical gems and treasures that will intrigue lovers of history. PHOTO: Megan Muller.
The survival of Schreuderhuis
The Schreuderhuis portrays early settler history.
According to guide Jaylon Siljeur, Schreuderhuis is the first house to be restored by the museum. It was built in 1709 and was one of the few houses to survive what is known as the great fire of Stellenbosch in 1710.
The house was completed thirty years after the town of Stellenbosch was founded and it appears on the earliest known drawing of Stellenbosch that is found to be dated back to February 1710, states Siljeur.
“By looking around, one can tell that the furniture and household objects are typical for a Stellenbosch home during the period of 1680 until 1720,” says Siljeur.
Siljeur explains that it was typical for homeowners to make things from items that were readily available, in comparison to homes found in the later periods.
Looking around the sleeping quarters one notices how tiny the furniture was. An interesting fact shared by Siljeur was that although people were smaller in comparison to people of today, the settlers had to cut down their furniture due it rotting as a result of heavy flooding, because their floors were made out of cow dung.
At the Stellenbosch Village Museum guests are transported into the past by a walking tour of four restored period homes dating between 1709 and 1850, each with a guide in period costume. Pictured is a guide, Jaylon Siljeur dressed in early settler regalia. PHOTO: Megan Muller.
Avant-Garde Grandeur
Exiting the Schreuderhuis garden, one then enters the second restored house within the complex, known as Blettermanhuis.
Looking around, one can see the difference in furnishing, style and the wealth of the owner displayed during that time.
According to Siljeur, the house was built in 1789 by the Dutch East India appointed magistrate of Stellenbosch, Hendrik Lodewyk Bletterman.
“It is a house that is typical 18th century Cape style design, with six gables and an H-shaped ground plan,” says Siljeur.
Its furnishings and exterior reflect the opulence that was considered typical of a wealthy Stellenbosch home between the 1750 until the 1780, Siljeur explains.
In the front room of the house hangs a portrait of the Storm family. The daughter displayed in the portrait, Maria Magdalena went on to marry Christian Ludolph Neethling, who built another house in the complex, known as Grosvenor House.
Grosvenor House, which was built in 1782, was considered to be avant-garde and ahead of its time with its modern design and exterior. PHOTO: Megan Muller.
Moving with the times
Upon entering the sprawling Grosvenor House that would be labelled as a mansion, one is met by a new guide, Megan Julies whose attire now reflects the period of the late 17th century.
The opulent house was established in 1782 by Christian Neethling and had a succession of owners that helped add to what is now seen as the final appearance in 1803.
According to Julies, the design of the house moved away from the typical and traditional houses at the time.
“Along with the Koopmans de Wet House and the Martin Melck house found in Cape Town, were two-storeyed, flat patrician town houses with sprawling gardens that were modern and reflective of the 1800 to 1830 period,” says Julies.
Less is more
Berghhuisis the fourth and last house within the museum’s complex. As Julies takes one through the somewhat modern Victorian home, one can see the difference in scale and interior of the house.
The house belonged to Olof Marthinus Bergh and his family from 1836 until 1877, she says.
According to Julies, Berghhuis originally had a thatch roof and gables similar to Blettermanhuis. However, it was altered to achieve its final appearance as is seen today.
“The house is typical of houses found in during the period of 1850 to 1877, where wallpaper was introduced and dwellings were smaller,” stated Julies.
A visitor to the museum, Alexander Arendse enjoying the museum’s rich historical offerings that are on display. PHOTO: Megan Muller.
From the outside in
According to Gabriels, the Covid-19 pandemic had a major impact on the museum’s operations, as it was dependent on the revenue generated from ticket sales. The numbers have drastically gone down since the start of the pandemic.
“One of the core functions of the museum is the educational programs we offer to the schools in the Western Cape. However, due to the pandemic, these public programs have since been cancelled,” says Gabriels.
These programs also included celebrations commemorating Youth Day, Women’s Day and Heritage Day, for example.
In addition, with travel bans instated due to the pandemic, overseas tourists, have largely dried up and will not be visiting the museum this year.
Open seven days a week, Gabriels hopes that local visitors will make their way during the museum’s local peak season that is between now and early March.