Century Manor, Oudtshoorn, Klein Karoo

I visited in Oudtsthoorn (60kms inland in the Klein Karoo) today where I spent a lovely time with family celebrating a favorite aunt's 80th birthday. It was incredibly hot, somewhere in the 40's, and I so much thought of all the blipfriends who are currently wading through inches and inches of snow.

On my way back home, I quickly stopped in the main street of Oudtshoorn to blip this lovely piece of architecture, known as Century Manor.

As I approached the Outeniqua Mountains Pass that would take me into our town, wispy, misty clouds started to roll over the crests, and I knew that within moments I will probably be traveling into heavy mist.
As the mist made the visibility extremely poor, speed was reduced and the sharp drop in temperature was quite evident and a relief.

About Century Manor:

This elegant sandstone building, Century Manor, is nowadays used as a guesthouse. Restored to its former glory, the manor provides the traveller and visitor the opportunity to savour the elegance of a bygone era.
What makes it interesting is the lovely characteristic turret and spire.

The distinctive sandstone used was readily available because it was locally quarried. The skill of the Scottish stonemasons, originally imported for the building of the Dutch Reformed Church ('Moederkerk' - Mother Church) is evident in these fine buildings of that period.

Built in the early 20th century, Century Manor is a splendid example of a wealthy ostrich farmer's town house or 'dorpshuis'. The house is constructed of local sandstone, the primary building material of it's day. Beside the aesthetics, (an important consideration for the succesful ostrich farmer) the thick walls, high ceilings and window shutters provide the ideal insulation for Oudtshoorn's summer heat. The Oregon pine floors, sash windows and doors are a striking feature of the interior of the Manor and are complemented by antique and period furnishings throughout.

The history and development of Oudtshoorn is inextricably connected with the growth of the ostrich feather industry from as early as 1860. By the turn of the twentieth century (during the Edwardian Period) the use of prime ostrich feathers in ladies' clothing was high fashion, especially in England and Europe.
Feathers were light and easily imported and fetched incredibly high prices. The resultant prosperity had a profound effect on Oudtshoorn and its immediate environment.

Numerous immigrants, particularly the Jews of Eastern Europe, were drawn to the 'boom' town, mostly because their relatives and friends had already established contact by 'smousing' (trading).

Oudtshoorn acquired such a large Jewish community at the time that it became known as 'little Jerusalem'. With so much money available, the town expanded rapidly. More churches were built as well as many public (schools) and commercial buildings.

The farming community, who had suddenly become extremely rich, vied with each other to display their wealth and built magnificent 'Ostrich Feather Palaces' decorated and embellished with stained glass windows, turrets and handsome cast-iron work (locally known as 'broekielace' - cast-iron decorations that remind one of the lace decoration on ladies' underwear).

Several of these 'Ostrich Feather Palaces' are still to be viewed in Oudtshoorn and its immediate environment.

A number of well-known architects such as Charles Bullock, George Wallace and J.E. Vixeboxse opened offices in Oudtshoorn and were responsible for the design of many an Ostrich Palace.

Even today their designs provide a distinctive architectural heritage for Oudtshoorn, reflecting the opulence of the Ostrich Feather Boom of 1860-1914.

It was primarily the invention of the motor car and the advent of the First World War that brought the Ostrich Feather Boom Era to an end. Faster open vehicles played havoc with the ladies' splendid feather decorated fashions and fashion trends in 1914 and onwards were generally more sober and less flamboyant.


So much for prosperity!