Overview
Identifiers
Record Administration
Location
Location
- Cape Winelands
- Drakenstein
Paarl
Gradings
Grading
Grading by: Heritage Western Cape
The Elandsberg Reserve and associated homesteads comprise a landscape of outstanding heritage value in terms its rarity and representivity.The sense of remoteness of two 19th century homesteads, set within a provincial nature reserve and against a wilderness mountain backdrop, represents an unusual example of the remote existence of the early colonial farms of the Swartland. This is in strong contrast to the early colonial farms in the fertile valleys of the Cape Winelands where the pattern of agricultural settlement was much more intensive. The Bosplaas and Bartholomeus Klip farm houses are significant examples of their types and in the instance of Bartholomeus Klip the buildings also contain early fabric.The historic significance includes being the site of a high profile murder (that of Frans Joosten by his wife and slaves in 1714) from the early colonial period associated with slavery. The associational significance with a highly significant person in South African history (Lord de Villiers – President of the National Convention and first Chief Justice of South Africa) is noteworthy. The natural landscape has a high aesthetic value in terms of its horizontality set against the rugged and dramatic sandstone peaks and slopes of the Elandskloof Mountains. Elandsberg Nature Reserve has outstanding biodiversity value. The property has significant fragments of Swartland Alluvium Fynbos, Swartland Shale Renosterveld and Hawequas Sandstone Fynbos. It is the core conservation area for two localised and critically endangered vegetation types in the South Western Cape, i.e. Swartland Alluvium Fynbos and Swartland Shale Renosterveld. In 1988, the reserve was proclaimed a Natural Heritage Site in recognition of it being the largest single remnant of West Coast Renosterveld as well as having the largest single population of the endangered geometric tortoise Psammobates geometricus.In 2008, Elandsberg Nature Reserve was declared a nature reserve in terms of the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act 57 of 2003. These vegetation types have endemic, endangered and threatened plant species. Over 40 red data plant and animal species have been identified on the Reserve. The local endemism on the reserve is remarkable. Seven plant species occur only on thereserve.Given the length of occupation of the homesteads it is highly likely that there are archaeological remains reflecting the period of occupation.
Declarations
Declaration
In terms of section 27 of the National Heritage Resources Act, No. 25 of 1999, Heritage Western Cape hereby declares Elandsberg Nature Reserve, fully described in the schedule, as a Provincial Heritage Site.ScheduleThe demarcation of the Provincial Heritage Site is as follows:The coordinates in the following list have co-ordinate easting and northing values that demarcate the interior border of the Elandsberg Nature Reserve Provincial Heritage Site. The columns labelled "Latitude (S)" and "Longitude (E)" are projected using the co-ordinate system, WGS84 datum. Refer to the attached map.ID Latitude (S) Longitude (E)A 33:24:45.1441 S 19:01:48.8681 EB 33:24:57.3830 S 19:04:04.0071 EC 33:26:08.8221 S 19:04:27.2845 ED 33:26:41.2262 S 19:05:08.0892 EE 33:27:36.6345 S 19:05:01.5791 EF 33:28:12.4736 S 19:04:45.7407 EG 33:28:37.7336 S 19:04:52.7629 EH 33:29:03.4594 S 19:05:04.5747 EJ 33:28:58.4292 S 19:03:07.6751 EK 33:28:55.6383 S 19:02:03.1501 EL 33:28:23.0499 S 19:02:14.6999 EM 33:28:22.5200 S 19:02:12.6700 EN 33:28:07.7700 S 19:02:19.4699 EP 33:28:06.9411 S 19:02:19.3234 EQ 33:27:25.6519 S 19:02:12.3721 ER 33:26:34.2764 S 19:01:38.2331 ES 33:26:35,4078 S 19:01:24,2768 ET 33:26:28.0105 S 19:01:23.1804 E
SignificanceThe farm is a generally recognised site of very high conservation importance containing very scarce fauna and flora. The two farm houses are significant examples of their types and in the instance of Bartholomeus Klip the buildings also contain early fabric. The historic significance includes being the site of a high profile murder from the early colonial period associated with slavery. The associational significance with a highly significant person in South African history (Lord de Villiers) is noteworthy. Given the length of occupation of the homesteads it is highly likely that there are archaeological remains reflecting the period of occupation.