 Contact Artefacts | MenuHomeUpfront Now Up Books Towns Structures People Firms Lexicon | Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk Wouter De Wet (Wollie) BRONKHORST: Architect 1959 |  | |||||
| ||||||||
Click to view map Coordinates: | The congregation was founded on 10 December 1826 by Rev. Andrew Murray of the NG congregation Graaff-Reinet founded under the name "the congregation of Torenberg", following the round hill on the west side of the mountain. There is uncertainty as to whether this was indeed the correct designation. The original name was quite possibly "the congregation of de Toverberg", because firstly the San had a kraal here and were used to obtaining their magic goods from the hill and secondly there is the "Acta" of the Cape Synod's session of 1829 which declares: "From the Magic Mountain, no one appeared." Most likely, Fr. Murray confused the expression "Toorberg", as already used colloquially at the time, with "Torenberg" and officially gave this incorrect name to the parish. Nevertheless, the congregation only carried its original name for three years, because in 1830 the then governor, Sir Galbraith Lowry Cole, thanks to the intervention of Sir Andries Stockenström, donated about 15,500 hectares to the NG church. In honor of the governor, the parish, town and district have since been called Colesberg. The church divided the land into lots and used the proceeds from its sale to erect its building in the center of the town. (Posted on Artefacts FB page courtesy of Forgotten in Africa) The competition to design the church was won by George William SMITH but it was not built to his design. (De Waal 1978: 142-43). It was designed by WELCHMAN & READ. A high domed clock tower and a columned portico was added in 1959 by W BRONKHORST. Books and articles that reference Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk
|
|
