9/2/013/0022

No. 1638       29 August J 975 DECLARATION OF A NATIONAL MONUMENT By virtue of the powers vested in me by section 10 (1) of the National Monuments Act, 1969 (Act 28 of 1969), I,
Johannes Petrus van der Spuy, Minister of National Education, hereby declare the mission centre of the  Elim Mission Station in its entirety, with the historic buildings thereon, consisting of the church, parsonage, shop, mill, the original farmhouse, and the houses inhabited by the shop manager, the minister and the deacons, to be a national monument. 
Description The mission centre of the Elim Mission Station in its entirety, with the historic buildings thereon, consisting of the church, parsonage, shop, mill, the original farmhouse, and the houses inhabited by the shop manager, the minister and the deacons, situate on certain portion of abolished quitrent land in the Division of Bredasdorp, known as Vogelstruys Kraal and measuring 2 831 morgen and 96 square roods. Historical and architectural interest The historic mission centre of Elim dates from 1824 when the Moravian Church purchased the farm Vogelstruys Kraal and started laying out the mission station. The farmhouse was adapted as a parsonage and with the rapid economic growth a mill was built towards 1830. The church was originally erected in 1835 and enlarged in 1865. All the buildings in the historic mission centre of Elim form a harmonious whole and a unique architectural group. J. P. VAN DER SPUY, Minister of National Education.