Page 84 - Bulletin 12 2008

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A good row is found in Durban Road with, at right angles, a former pub, Prince Alfred’s
Arms and adjoining Prince Alfred’s Hotel with its perfect Georgian façade. Just off the

actual village two of its oldest buildings are found: Glebe Cottage, once in use for
Anglican services, overlooking a tiny green, and the homestead of Springfield which is

now the centre of a Roman Catholic priory and school.

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By the end of the 19 century the village had become a somewhat neglected backwater,
separated by the Maynardville property (today still a park) from the up-and-coming
business district along Thibault’s 1807 new main road. These two factors helped

maintain the historic atmosphere of the old village. It was ‘discovered’ as such in the
1950s, and cottages were bought up and restored – some better than others. Artists

moved in and the village became known as ‘Little Chelsea’. It is now a protected

conservation area, and a village society tries to prevent inappropriate alterations and
intrusions – not always successfully.

Simon’s Town (Figs. 3.10 – 3.16)

Simon’s Town, like Malmesbury, Tulbagh and Swellendam, was established as a result
of the 1743 visit of Baron van Imhoff who, on his way to take up a post in the

Netherlands Indies, was commissioned to inspect the Cape colony and suggest
improvements. The year before, the Company had finally, after decades-long indecision,

decided to use Simon’s Bay as its winter anchorage instead of Table Bay with its

frequent gales and resulting loss of ships (ten in 1722 alone) and lives (600 in that year).
Van Imhoff visited the bay and made recommendations for the erection of a cluster of

buildings to service the new anchorage. A store, a post-holder’s dwelling, a hospital and
living-quarters for a small garrison were built, the first two still there today, though

much changed in appearance. A Company’s garden in a gorge above the little settlement
completed the rudimentary town.

A church was not at that stage envisaged, presumably because of the relatively close
proximity of Cape Town and the absence of a substantial farming community in the