September is Heritage Month and to celebrate this, we will be taking a look back at the streets of Paarl, the third oldest town in South Africa.
This group of buildings on Paarl Main Road just south of the Strooidak church make a very interesting heritage case study not only in terms of the alterations /developments over time, but the current use of colour as well.
The first photo is the earliest photograph taken circa 1900 with a brass band playing to an unseen audience.
But by the 1970’s the building was badly neglected before much later being renovated and declared a national monument.
Today the buildings are painted in somewhat unusual and striking colours which has drawn much comment from the public.
This group appears to be made up of four different properties behind the band. Two separate double-storeyed four-bay-façades under one roof on the right behind the band and an early 19th century gabled thatched house on the left. We know that this was attached to a building of very similar design both of which are today double storied and now painted.
What is very interesting is that there is no access from Main Road in the picture to the rear of the buildings. This was later achieved by the partial demolition of the gabled house to create an arched access way through the building as well as a forward- projecting wing.
Judging from the joinery style this dates from the 1940’s.
The right hand pair of double-storeyed buildings were consolidated and a new central entrance added. This was later subdivided with an exterior balcony added which was only demolished in the 1980’s.
According to a Heemkring publication, there were four owners all on one erf (Francois de Villiers, Johannes Philippus de Villiers, Carel Christiaan Bernhard and Johannes Josua Minnaar.
While the Heritage Act requires a permit for any alterations including a change of exterior colour, this has been changed regularly without asking for comment from the local heritage bodies.
Nevertheless this group is an important and interesting heritage grouping worthy of special protection which has at times been abused by past owners.
. Source: Paarl Heemkring
