Published: 2015-02-28 Views: 691
HOEV: OPNAME VAN BESIENSWAARDIGHEDE Nr 009
HEHA: SURVEY OF HERITAGE SITES No 009
“DIE OU PASTORIE” SKEERPOORT (OU PASTORIE / LATER POLISIESTASIE)
GPS data:X 27.45.49 Y –25.48.10
PAD P 123-1. (R560)
EIENAAR / KONTAKPERSOON: (012-2071027 / 0824544425)
“Die Ou Pastorie” in 2002 as restourant en gastehuis.
The old parsonage (later Police Station) of Skeerpoort in 2002 as “Die Ou Pastorie” restaurant and guest rooms.
As ‘n mens vandag na die gebou kyk, sal mens nie maklik raai dat hy oorspronklik in 1884 of 1896 gebou is nie. Dit is egter die datums wat met waarskynlikheid vir sy ontstaan vermoed word. In daardie tyd was Skeerpoort ‘n bloeiende boerderygemeenskap. Geen wonder dat hulle dit kon bekostig om ‘n “behoorlike” pastorie te bou nie. Die groot aanleg van die huis, sy netjies gelaagde klipfondamente, houtvloere en houtplafonne asook skuifvensters dui daarop dat dit ‘n waardige gebou moes gewees het. Argitektonies was die pastorie in ‘n styl gebou wat later as die “ZAR-styl” bekend sou word. Hierdie styl waarin amptelike geboue van die ZAR gebou is, het hom van die Victoriaanse styl van sy tyd onderskei deurdat dit nie so met tierlantyntjies oorlaai was nie. Tog is baie van die boumateriaal soos sinkplate, deure en vensters asook vloerplanke vir daardie geboue vanaf Engeland via Durban per skip ingevoer. Dit was dus eerder die keuse van ingevoerde materiaal en die aanwending daarvan asook die eenvoudiger en sterker ontwerp van die geboue wat die verskil gemaak het.
Meeste van die genoemde bouelemente is nog in ‘n goeie toestand alhoewel daar deur die hestelwerk wat in sy honderdjarige bestaan as pastorie, polisiestasie, woonhuis en restourant uitgevoer is, tog heelwat veranderings aangebring is. Die omgewing en tuin het natuurlik ook oor die jare verander. Daar is egter nog oorblyfsels uit die ou dae soos ‘n olienhoutboom van oor die tweehonderd jaar en die tipiese “kombuisrondawel” waarin melkprodukte koel bewaar is. Die rondawel is nog steeds so koel soos in die ou dae en word vandag as wynkelder gebruik.
Hierdie was dan die pastorie vir die NG Kerk wat “aan die anderkant van die voor”, die sogenaamde “bo-voor” gestaan het. In 1938 is dit as poliesiestasie gebruik vir die hele gebied vanaf Hartbeespoortdam wat toe al bestaan het. Die terrein was ideaal want dit het oor goeie weiding en water vir die polisieperde beskik. Maar waarom nou juis Skeerpoort? Glo dit as u wil, maar hierdie plekkie was destyds ‘n belangrike dorp met ‘n spoorwegstasie, ‘n skool, kerk, poskantoor en ‘n winkel en ‘n welgestelde boerderygemeenskap. Die boere het toe ‘n petisie met 234 handtekeninge na die Polisiekommissaris gestuur waarin hulle gekla het oor die stygende misdaad en die feit dat die naaste polisiestasie by Brits of Cyferfontein (suid-oos van Hartbeespoortdam) was. Dit het sersant Botha ‘n hele week gevat om die distrik per perd alleen te patrolleer, laat staan om skelms te vang.
Toe die huurtermyn by Cyferfontein in 1938 verstryk het, is die stasie na Skeerpoort verskuif. Twee klein aanhoudingselle is opgerig, die dominee se studeerkamer as polisiekantoor ingerig en siedaar, orde kon nou in Skeerpoort gehandhaaf word. Hartbeespoort moes maar sien kom klaar! Ja, en die perde: daar is nog ‘n ou krip en as mens in die tuin spit vind jy dalk vandag nog ‘n hoefyster. Mettertyd is eers een en later al drie polisieperde egter deur motorfietse vervang.
Maar Hartbeespoort het uiteindelik geseëvier met meer ontwikkeling (en misdaad!) sodat die polisiestasie in 1948 na Schoemansville verskuif is na ‘n woonhuis van twee oujongnooiens, Pretorius, op die hoek van Scott- en Malanstrate. Die gebou van Skeerpoort se “pastorie-polisiestasie” was eers weer ‘n woonhuis en dien vandag as ‘n rustige, stylvolle restourant en gastehuis.
Nog ‘n foto van die ou pastorie as restourant en gastehuis in 2002.
“Die Ou Pastorie” restaurant in Skeerpoort.
“DIE OU PASTORIE” SKEERPOORT (OLD NG PARSONAGE / POLICE STATION)
DATE 1884 / 1896
GPS data: X 27.45.49 Y –25.48.10
ROAD P 123-1 (R560)
OWNER / CONTACT PERSON: (012-2071027 / 0824544425)
Looking at the building in 2002 one will not guess that its foundation was laid in 1884 or 1896. But these are the dates muted for its construction. During that time Skeerpoort was a flourishing farming community. No wonder they could afford to build quite an “up to date” parsonage. The relatively large footprint of the house, its well built foundations, wooden floors and ceiling as well as sash windows testify that this was to be a building of status. Architecturally the “pastorie” was built in what was later identified as the “ZAR Style” with fewer embellishments than the “Victorian Style”, so popular with English colonialists at the time. The official buildings of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR) were fairly simple and stark and well adapted to the Transvaal climate and life style though many materials, like corrugated iron, doors, windows, as well as floor and ceiling boards were imported by ship, rail and ox wagon via Durban.
Most of these items are still in good shape in this building; though some repair had understandably to be done after more than hundred years of service as parsonage, police station and private residence. An interesting feature in the garden is a 200 years old wild olive tree and in the southeast corner the small rondawel. This remains cool even on the hottest summer day and was used as a storeroom for dairy products. Today it serves as wine cellar.
Built as parsonage for the dominee of the Dutch Reformed Church on the other side of the “bo-voor” (upper furrow), the building was vacated and became a police station in 1938. The site was ideal with plenty grazing and drinking water from the furrow for the horses of the then mounted police. But why Skeerpoort? Well, it was at that time the hub of economic activity with a railway station, school, church, post office and store. The farmers who sent a petition of 234 signatures to the Commissioner of Police in Pretoria, complained that while crime increased in Skeerpoort, the nearest police stations at Brits or Cyferfontein (south east of Hartbeespoortdam) were too far. Reportedly solving crimes was too time consuming with sergeant Botha on horseback taking one week to patrol the area!
When the police lease at Cyferfontein expired in 1938, the station was therefore moved to Skeerpoort. Small holding cells were built for prisoners. Many horseshoes have been recovered on the property and an old manger remains as a memento of the slower pace of life. First one, then eventually all three of the police horses were replaced by motorcycles.
As development (and crime!) at Hartbeespoortdam outstripped that of Skeerpoort, the station was moved in 1948 to Schoemansville. The old police station at Skeerpoort reverted to private hands. For a while it was used as a house and now as a restaurant and guesthouse.