OHV001

Site OHV1 – Colonial Period Structure (Wall).
Site OVH1 (S33°01’22.0”; E27°54’24.9”) comprises of Colonial Period wall remains. The stone built wall is visible for approximately 3m in length and standing to a rough estimated height of 30cm running roughly parallel to the property boundary. The original structure of which only this portion of the wall is still visible on site is inferred to date to soon after the 1880’s when the various blocks of the East London East Bank village was surveyed. Remains thus pre-date 60 years of age and is formally protected by the NHRA 1999. The general area is however littered with building rubble, obscuring possible additional in situ structure remains. Building rubble in the vicinity of Site OHV1 include a portion of a shingle and cement staircase, slabs, bricks etc, the majority of which, though most probably in themselves pre-dating 60 years of age, seem to have been dumped at the site, whilst further afield on the study site it is evident that Colonial Period building rubble were used for landfill.

o RECOMMENDATIONS: Site OHV1, comprising of Colonial Period wall remains (structure), pre-dates 60 years of age; the site is thus formally protected under the NHRA 1999, implying an automatic SAHRA High Significance and a Grade 2 Provincial Field Rating. The site is however ascribed a low Colonial Period architectural significance – conservation of the wall portion will not further the current understanding of the establishment or architectural styles of early East London. It is recommended that the wall portion be destroyed in lieu of the development. Destruction of Site OHV1 is subject to an ECPHRA Built Environment destruction permit, to be applied for by the developer.