In the mid 1700's, Noordhoek was well known for
its fruit and vegetable farming, but towards the end of the 1700's,
farmers also begun planting vines. Unfortunately, in the early
1800's, a vine disease (phyloxera) destroyed the vineyards and it
wasn't until nearly 200 years later that vines were once again
planted in this area, when Cape Point Vineyards was established in
the 1990's.
In the late 1800’s, a school was built
alongside Noordhoek Road, next to the Goede Hoop River. The school
was constructed with mud bricks, a thatch roof and an unusual
‘trappies gewel’ (stepped gable), but it was destroyed
by a storm in the early 1920’s.
In 1923, Chapman’s Peak Drive was
officially opened and this provided additional access to Noordhoek.
All previous access routes were along Noordhoek Road from Fish Hoek
and the ox-wagon route, Ou Kaapse Weg. Farmers in the area set up
stalls along Noordhoek Road to sell their produce to visitors and
neighbours. A small general dealership was established near the
Brookwood stream and it also served as the Noordhoek Post Office
until the 1950's when it was relocated to a new red brick building
500m North.
During the 1960's, Noordhoek Road was re-routed
to its current position and became known as Noordhoek Main Road.
This new road drove straight through the valley to link up with
Chapman’s Peak Drive and the remaining part of Noordhoek Road
was renamed Village Lane. The Noordhoek Farm Village site was
created as a clearly defined 'centre' of Noordhoek, sandwiched
between Village Lane (old Noordhoek Road) and the new Noordhoek
Main Road.
In the 1970’s this site, which had always
been a privately owned farm and formed part of Sir Drummond
Chaplin’s De Goede Hoop Estate, was re-zoned as Public Open
Space. For about 20 years, from the mid-sixties, the only building
on the village site was a small cottage which had been built in the
mid-1800’s and was leased to the Hendrici family who farmed
vegetables and flowers.
The 1980's saw the restoration of the old
Weltevreden Cottage and in November of 1995, the first phase of the
Noordhoek Farm Village comprising a restaurant in Weltevreden
Cottage, a farmstall in the Groote Skuur and small retail shops in
the Post House and Milking Shed buildings opened their doors. In
1998 a Pub and the Cellar Buildings, which house art studios and
craft workshops, was completed. The final stage was the addition is
a small hotel which opened it's doors in 2008.
To find the cache...
1. Recycling...
At S34° 05.837 E018° 22.652 you will find a signboard which
explains a rather unique form of recycling. The year in which the
longest single unit was found, less its length in feet =
191A
2. Amphibian...
At S34° 05.840 E018° 22.659 you'll find another information board,
detailing the life of a local and well recognisable amphibian. The
number of stages in this little critters life-cycle =
B
3. Card not Cash...
At S34° 05.826 E018° 22.673 is a modern convenience which only
accepts cards as tender. The last 4 digits of its number =
CDEF
4. Bandstand...
At S34° 05.838 E018° 22.680 is this easily recognisable wooden
structure, used for regular events especially in the summer months.
The number of sides = G
5. Sarah & John...
At S34° 05.804 E018° 22.712 is a remembrance to this couple. The
difference between Sarah & John's parting =
H
The final location will be found at...
S34° 0(H-F).(A+F)(G-H)(B-C) E018°
2(H-B).(H-E+A)(G-F)(D-H)