Huguenot House (circa 1752)

THE HOME OF PRINS & PRINS DIAMONDS
AN EARLY CAPE BUILDING OF HISTORIC IMPORTANCE

In 1752 Governor Ryk Tulbagh granted an area of new erven on the northern edge of the then, small but growing Cape Town, to various citizens. At that time the streets had not been named, but the burgher Hendrik Britz - on 16 , 11. 1752 - was granted Erf No.6, on the corner of what was to become Hout and Loop Streets. It was 32 square roods, 104 square foot and 72 square inches in size. On this land he built a magnificent Cape home with an unrivalled elegance and grandeur. From 1815 to possibly 1880, the building was owned by a string of wine merchants exporting wine from the Franschhoek Valley—hence the name Huguenot House. It became the most important wine distribution centre of Cape wines, after Groot Constantia. In the late 1980’s the building was restored under the guidance of architect Gabriel Fagan, and in 1993, Prins & Prins Diamonds made it their headquarters. THE WALL PAINTINGS During the restoration beautiful Neo-Classic wall paintings were discovered dating back to the 18th century. The colours and style of the friezes are reminiscent of those discovered in Pompeii in 1790. On the right hand wall of the “ voorkamer” , Gerharda von Wielligh is depicted as the Roman goddess Luna. Note the crescent moon (horns ? ) on her forehead. The painting of her husband on the opposite wall could not be saved. In the “agterkamer” her daughter is painted as Ceres (goddess of fertility and growing corn) and her son as Bacchus (god of wine and fertile crops). These portraits were painted on a background depicted as wood paneling. The red-brown colour used is known as Pompeiin Red and the other colours are all hues of historic green (imported) made by adding local ochre and lime pigment. THE FLOORS AND CEILINGS The floor boards are Burmese teak with some of the original nails still visible. The ceiling beams and boards are made from indigenous yellow wood. Some of the sash windows facing the court yard, are probably original. THE WATER WELL A water well was discovered when the floor of the kitchen was stripped. It was originally used as a source for drinking water but when either the water table dropped or drinking water was piped to homesteads, its use changed into that of a refuse pit. It was even used as a “long drop” for many years. There are only three of these original home wells to be seen in Cape Town. Visitors to Huguenot House today drop a penny here - and wish to return.