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History: Swellendam, one of the oldest towns in South Africa, holds a particular fascination for visitors. This may be due to the fact that many of the original houses in the main street in the older part of the town are still standing and thus preserve something of the rural character of the town. The Oefeninghuis, standing almost on an island in the main street, is one of these.
It was built in 1838 in accordance with the original resolution with round, outflowing gables for the purpose of holding religious services and prayer- meetings and the education of the Heathens. Consequently religious services and prayer-meetings were held in it, adult "heathen" received instruction from the "reader" and poor children, both White and Coloured, went to school there. It was controlled by a Board of Directors consisting of leading inhabitants of Swellendam and played an important part in the education and religious life of the town. When independent mission churches and schools came into being at the beginning of the present century, the Oefeninghuis, as it is still called, became redundant and in 1922 the Directors sold it, stipulating however that it may never be used as a canteen or dance hall.
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Construction Date: 1838
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