Sites

Archive Import
History: The original purchaser of this property was Catherine, widow of Gerrit Cloete, who gave the farm the name of Cloetenberg. In 1725 Cloetenberg was transferred to C. Louw and his Deed of Transfer contains the first recorded reference to a house on the property. Louw obtained with the land†_x0018_one house and outbuilding⁳_x0019_ together with four young slaves, 10 sheep, 18 kids and farming implements. In 1732 the property was again transferred to Daniel Malan of Morgenster and in
1756 to his son, Daniel Wynand, who either built the nucleus of the present or improved the one already standing. Daniel Wynand Malan died in 1765, and it is probable that the gable, dated 1785, was added by one of his sons or perhaps his son—in—law, Douw Gertrand Steyn, at the time of the first re—thatching. Steyn became the next owner of the farm which was transferred to him in 1816. In 1817 he sold a large portion of his land after the Governor Lord Charles Somerset. Steyn died in 1827 and his widow sold Cloetenberg (then approximately 300 morgen) to D.J. Morkel in 1829. It remained in the hands of the Morkel family from this date until 1903.
It is probable that it was P.G..J. Morkel, who obtained transfer in 1844, who made extensive alterations to the house during his ownership of 35 years. Among other changes, a verandah and two stoepkamers were added, and along the front the old Dutch casement windows were replaced by French windows. These alterations have since been removed. In 1898 P.C. Morkel auctioned off 26 large erven for agricultural purposes and 70 building plots adjoining his estate. In 1903 Morkel disposed of the homestead lot, reserving for himself a portion of ground adjoin ing the paddock behind the stables and the walled kraal. Here he built a house which he named Prospect, now called Autumn Lodge.
In 1912 Frank Spooner purchased the ‘homestead lot’ with Cloetenberg thereon (then about 23 morgen) together with mountain land lying between Paral Vallei and Land-en-Zeezight. This farm, in common with others in the district, grew vine yards and wines had always been made there. Mr Spooner kept up the traditional pressing for several years, but some time prior to 1920 wine production ceased. During Spooner’s occupancy the homestead was called Oatlands. During this period the charming back gable on the homestead fell in and was replaced by an ugly one. An old building - originally slave quarters - which during Spooner’s time had consisted of a fowl—run, wash—house, wagon and wood shed, and labourers’ rooms, was altered to form an annexe.
In 1951 the property was purchased by Dr. and Mrs D J Maydock who established the Somerset House Preparatory School there. The house, outbuildings and grounds have been further altered and adapted to the needs of a school.
Visual Description:
Colours:
Site Features:
Condition: Good
Construction Date: 1725, 1785
Materials:
Catalogue: Somerset West Structure Plan, No: 50, Significance Category: