H I S T O R Y
Longbeach Mall in Noordhoek, Cape Town, was built on what used to be Slangkop farm. In fact, the entire area now known as Noordhoek was originally part of this farm. First named Poespaskraal, which means ‘hotchpotch place’, this was one of four land grants made simultaneously in 1743 by Governor General of the Netherlands East Indies, Governor Van Imhoff.
LONGBEACH MALL THE HISTORY OF
The farm Poespaskraal was granted to Carel Georg Wieser, at the time also the owner of Groot Constantia, while De Noordhoek, Slangenkop (Imhoff’s Gift) and De Goede Gift were granted to Christina Diemer, the widow of Frederik Russouw of Zwaanswyk (Steenberg). She also owned Swaaneweide, now named Constantia Uitsig. Between them they were then the largest land owners South of Constantia. The land granted to Carel Georg Wieser was 30 morgen, but later, under the ownership of Pierre Rocher, Poespaskraal expanded until it was a massive tract of land which extended over the Roodeberg mountain and down to the salt pan (now The Lakes). Wieser was granted permission to build a hunting lodge on Poespaskraal. The homestead was a simple T-shaped, thatched dwelling, built with clay and local sandstone rocks and painted with lime wash. In Wieser’s days, the area would have been very different from what it is today, with abundant wildlife, pristine fynbos and forests in all the South facing kloofs of the Roodeberg. One can easily imagine the scene as Strandlopers crossed the area on their way to Peers Cave and the coast.
Hunting parties were held at the Old Homestead and Vaal Rhebuck were hunted in abundance. Hunters made the journey on horseback or in wagons on a dust track from Constantia over the mountain to our valley – the original Ou Kaapse Weg. Mr Wieser died in 1759 and the farm changed hands repeatedly. It was first bought and developed by Johannes Bruins on June 8, 1759. Subsequent owners were Johannes Bruyens (1759), Petrus Joubert (1786), Mr. Heinkes (1810), IN Jone (1817) and Pierre Roscher (1833). In 1864 the property came into the hands of the De Stadler family. The De Stadler family were farmers and supplied the surrounding areas with dairy, poultry and vegetable products. The De Stadler family owned the farm through six generations and in the 1920s, re-named it Sunnydale Farm. The surrounding area is still called Sunnydale. Later, the farm was divided into five portions and those in turn were subdivided further, which resulted in many smallholdings and plots. One lot-holder was Buller Louw who had a dairy herd, an abattoir and a road-side shop. Nicknamed Louw’s Corner, this famous shopping landmark was located at a point just short of the turn-off to Noordhoek and Chapman’s Peak on the M64. Mr Louw sold to developers and the complex was demolished to make way for Sun Valley Mall in the 1980s – and later, Longbeach Mall.
The original hotchpotch place still has a bustling mix of people and places all around it, but its pure, historic core has been perfectly preserved even down to still supplying locals with their shopping needs.
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