Heritage Week Swellendam 2008

Another Heritage Week treat was the opening of the 150-year old Mayville House, bequeathed together with furniture and household goods by Nita Steyn to the Drostdy Museum in 1974. Miss Steyn had also expressed the wish that a rose garden should be established for the pleasure of visitors and residents of Swellendam and garden expert, Gwen Fagan, has designed an attractive rose garden surrounded by various flowers, shrubs and hedges. However, a basic miscalculation saw the house being restored to an unprepossessing white-washed appearance with dark green exterior woodwork. As a result of this general dissatisfaction, proper research was done and for the past five years, extensive alterations were carried out to more accurately reflect the style and atmosphere typical of a late Victorian home. The result is a truly charming affirmation of how people lived at the time and Mayville House is certain to become another landmark of importance to feature on the tourist map of Swellendam. In the speeches made to commemorate to occasion, tribute was paid to Jomien Hawenga, curator, for her input and dedication in the project.