Blue heritage plaque for oldest house in Heidelberg
The house on the corner of Strydom and Van der Westhuizen streets, known as The Cornerstone House, could be the oldest house still standing in Heidelberg and received a blue heritage plaque on Friday, July 30.
This historic property is reputed to be one of the houses built by Heinrich Ueckermann for settlers in 1866.
In 1872, Andrew Young Arthur and his wife Mary with their two children John and Elizabeth immigrated to South Africa and bought the house. They later opened a butchery in town.
An interesting feature of the Strydom street facade is the timber casement windows on either side of the entrance door which have survived to this day.
There is evidence to suggest that these windows might still contain the original glass installed at the time and close inspection revealed the names of the Arthur children, apparently scratched by them on the inside surface some 100 years ago.
There is a plaque in the Methodist Church in honour of two of the Arthur children, Andrew and Annabella who died of typhoid in 1897.
Extensive extensions to the original house and outbuildings, including a veranda, were carried out between 1874 and 1945 when the new dining room and bay window were added.
Some of the extensions were probably added by the Arthurs who had seven children and the original settler house only had two front rooms.
When the property was bought by Jack Taylor in 1982, it was in a state of disrepair. Alterations and additions were carried out in a sensitive and sympathetic manner and existing timber frame windows were re-used wherever possible to maintain the authenticity and character of the house.
The current owners of the property, Lenro and Henda Bonsma, captured the 1865 legacy at this enchanting venue and guesthouse, and the historical house is a mere half-hour drive from Johannesburg.
“The heritage of Heidelberg is probably one of our town’s most valuable assets. It is important to share information about the various heritage sites with visitors and residents alike.
That is why the Suikekrbosrant aanlyn koerant is proud to sponsor the oldest house in our town as part of the Heritage Association’s initiatives,” said Van Zyl Schultz, co-owner of Suikerbosrant aanlyn koerant which sponsored the plaque.
