Dutch Reformed Church, Wynberg

This area began to be settled by free burghers in 1657, and for more than a century most of them travelled into Cape Town to attended religious services. However because of the distances involved, as well as the poor state of local roads, on 7 June 1829 it was resolved to establish a separate congregation in the village of Wynberg. Consent was obtained from the Mother Church and the first service of the new congregation took place on 20 September 1829, on the farm of EA Buyskes, now known as Westbrooke. Within a month of this, its Church Council had applied to the Government for land to be granted for the construction of a new church. This request was met on 3 March 1831, but only on condition that construction should begin within 9 months of the grant being made. The Church Council was obviously prepared for this, for the foundation stone of the new structure was laid on 24 March 1831, and the church was consecrated on 30 September 1832. The original building was a hall 24m long and 8m wide, with little bell towers and side rooms being added in 1837. In August 1842 work was begun on two additional wings and the extended building was opened on 30 April 1843. In 1896 the Church Council was instructed to raise funds for the building of a new church using the same cruciform plan as the old structure. This was completed on 17 March 1899 at a cost of £4000. It was declared a National Monument under old NMC legislation on 22 October 1965.