History
"In 1683 land belonging to one of the Freeburgers, whose farms
along the Liesbeek River supplied the Dutch East India Company, was
sold to Herman Weeckens. The farm was named De Oude Wjinbergh (Old
Wine Mountain). The Cape's rough seas in the winter months led to a
formal winter anchorage in 1743 where ships would dock at Simons'
Baai (present day Simons Town). A wagon route linking Cape Town to
Simons Town went over the hill adjasent to De Oude Wjinbergh
estate. When the British took control of the Cape settlement on 16
Sept 1795 the small farming area of Wynberg developed rapidly into
a garrison town, as the British settled a large number of troops in
the area. A notable settler was Alexander Tennant who built a house
still standing, named Sonnebloem. At Wynberg the Dutch had earlier
made a show of resistance, but they were soon driven from their
post by the British.[1] Wynberg was a convenient half way point
between Table Bay and False Bay and this led to a hub of commercial
activity. The authorities had allotted places where large teams of
oxen could be unyoked and graze which made this possible.[2] The
village provided farmers with an alternative to the market in Cape
Town. As more farms were subdivided commercial and residential
properties began to increase.[3] The famous astronomer John
Herschel lived at Wynberg between 1834 and 1838, where he set up a
telescope to study the southern hemispehere skies, and also did
some botanical work on South African flowers together with his wife
Margaret. In was at Wynberg that the young Charles Darwin met
Herschel in 1836, a meeting which considerably influenced Darwin's
later work." --Chas Everitt International Property Group
Wynberg Village was designated as a conservation area in 1981,
and hosts The Old Wynberg Village Society - "a representative
community-based organisation which works to promote public
awareness of and pride in the Village; preserve the unique
mixed-use character and to monitor the condition of and proposed
changes to properties; liase with local authorities, the National
Monuments Council and other organisations." -- The Old Wynberg
Village Society
Further articles on the area can be found on the SA Venues
blog
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