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History: As far as can be established, this old house is the oldest surviving dwelling in Port Elizabeth and was built by the Rev. Francis McClelland, a priest of the Church of England who arrived in 1820 with the Irish Party under William Parker. This party was settled at Clanwilliam, but the settlement there was a complete failure and most of the settlers were afterwards moved to the Suurveld. However, McClelland only followed them five years later and established himself in Port Elizabeth where, in April, 1825, the governor granted land for an Anglican church. McClelland made his influence felt in all matters in his new environment. He travelled far and wide to preach the gospel both in English and Dutch, started the first school in Port Elizabeth, took an active part in practically every charitable undertaking and, being a good speaker, delivered addresses at nearly every important public function, including the visit of Sir Benjamin D’Urban in 1836.
Apart from being one of the oldest dwellings in Port Elizabeth and the fact of having belonged to McClelland, the building is one of the best examples of the kind of town house that was built in the Eastern Province during the early part of the nineteenth century. It was built to a strictly symmetrical design, the lower storey was of stone and the upper storey of brick, and it expressed the conventional formalism of the last century. It has been
furnished in the manner of its period and provides a unique illustration of the pioneer way of life in the Eastern Province.
Proclaimed 1962"
Visual Description: A double storey house restored and used as a museum. It is one of the best examples of this style of dwelling in Port Elizabeth. Renovations by Harold B. Smith.
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Site Features:
Condition: Good
Construction Date: 1825
Materials: Loadbearing brickwork with a stone basement.
Catalogue: Theron 1983, No: A.9.3.09, Significance Category: