Stellenzicht Wine Estate

Historical Background

Prepared for Stellenzicht Wines (Pty) Ltd and Rumour Has It By Melanie Attwell and Associates 2 Caxton Close Oakridge Constantia 0827716286 0217150330

1 © Melanie Attwell & Associates - Stellenzicht Historical Background, October 2018

Stellenzicht Wine Estate:

Historical background

Introduction

Melanie Attwell and Associates was appointed by Stellenzicht Wines (Pty) Ltd to undertake background historical research into the Stellenzicht Estate in August 2018. The brief, as amended was to: • Undertake a site visit • Interview any relevant parties • Undertake documentary research including secondary (published sources) • Undertake documentary research including map research, Deeds office and Surveyor General’s office research • Undertake relevant genealogical research • Research relevant historical photographs. The above tasks were intended for exploring potential narratives for branding purposes using the historic qualities of Stellenzicht and the surrounding environment.

Stellenzicht

Stellenzicht is a large wine farm set within the scenic foothills of the Helderberg Mountains. It consists of vineyards, a large and prestigious winery, dams and, against its mountain slopes, remnants of indigenous vegetation. It has long views towards and the False Bay coast and is a major scenic amenity.

View from Stellenzicht towards Stellenbosch.

2 © Melanie Attwell & Associates - Stellenzicht Historical Background, October 2018

Stellenzicht has its origins in the historic farm of Rustenburg, first granted in 1692. The Stellenzicht portion was acquired as additional vineyards for Rustenburg as early as 1818. There are no historic buildings on the site.

The cadastral outline of the basic landholdings has remained remarkably intact over the years, despite a long history of subdivision, acquisitions and consolidation.

The farm Stellenzicht in relation to the parent farm of Stellenrust, which included the remainder of Rustenburg. https://gis.elsenburg.com/apps/cfm/)

Stellenzicht forms part of a cultural landscape of major importance in Stellenbosch as a series of historic farmlands strung along Blaauwklippen Road, creating a patchwork of vineyards, tree- lined routes and farmsteads, many of historical and architectural significance. The cultural value of the landscape of Stellenzicht is enhanced by its position at the foothills of the Helderberg range of mountains and increasing its scenic value by virtue of its position within the landscape.

While Stellenzicht has no historic werf, its cultural landscape qualities, particularly in relation to its context and the scenic qualities of the Helderberg range, are high.

3 © Melanie Attwell & Associates - Stellenzicht Historical Background, October 2018

Summary of the history of Stellenzicht

Stellenzicht forms part of an early, complex system of land grants and transfers dating back to 1692. Stellenzicht Wine Estate is closely associated with that of Rustenburg, an early farm dating back to 1684 when Governor Simon van der Stel allowed a free burgher, Barend Hendriksz, to farm the land. Van der Stel subsequently granted Hendriksz freehold title to the farm in 1692.

This report looks at the history of the farm, and its broader context. This includes the pre- colonial period, relevant aspects of the area’s early colonial history, the area’s cultural landscape, the development of this particular farm, and the people involved.

The Stuttaford family consolidated various landholdings in 1931, including what remained of Rustenburg, to establish the farm Stellenrust. Stellenzicht now occupies a large portion of what was Stellenrust, with roots in the earlier history of the Rustenburg estate.

The historical research into the origins of Stellenzicht and its parent farm Rustenburg has been complicated by the fact that there are three