Groote Schuur

At the mention of Groote Schuur in Cape Town, most people immediately think of the hospital which shares its name. Yet Groote Schuur is also the name of the beloved house that belonged to Cecil John Rhodes which he bequeathed to the nation - along with vast tracts of mountainside that stretched all the way to Constantia Nek. Kirstenbosch included.

Originally, Groote Schuur (Dutch for 'Big Barn') was built by the Dutch East India Company in about 1657 as part of De Schuur, the company's granary. The farmhouse was purchased by a wealthy widow who "anglicized" the architecture and lent it to the English Governors of the Cape Colony when they were in residence.

And she also rented it to English dignitaries such as Cecil John Rhodes. Rhodes liked the house so much he asked the widow to "name her price" and purchased the estate in the 1893. 

the Dutch frieze

By chance he met an untried young English architect who was visiting Cape Town, and commissioned him to restore Groote Schuur. For the architect, Herbert Baker, this was a heaven-sent opportunity to make his name. Rhodes's brief to Baker was to enlarge the house and restore something of its original Cape Dutch appearance. 

The plan that finally emerged from Baker's drawing board was a charming hybrid of ornate gables, colonnaded verandas, barley-sugar chimneys, whitewashed walls and warm teak woodwork.

Groote Schuur was a triumph for Baker who, with this design, actually created a new form of South African vernacular architecture.

Rhodes had agents and minions on the lookout for furniture, books, porcelain, silver and glassware - he had definite ideas and more than enough money to realize them. He particularly wanted items from the Cape, and many of these had to be re-imported from Holland. Today, the house and its interior remain almost exclusively as they were in Rhodes's day.

gables and barley-sugar chimneys

The rooms have a comfortable domesticity, enlivened by evidence of Rhodes's eclectic tastes. The wooden comer posts on one of the staircases are carved in the form of the enigmatic soapstone eagles that were found at the Zimbabwe Ruins; Delft tiles with pictures to entertain crawling children decorate the downstairs floor skirting and several of the fireplaces; and some of the fireplaces themselves have Zimbabwe soapstone surrounds and copper hoods.

Among the most interesting items are souvenirs from his travels, including various artifacts from the Zimbabwe Ruins, an exquisitely inlaid Moorish Egyptian traveling writing table, an old Cape stinkwood armoire with secret drawers and an elephant-shaped drinking cup.

There are very few paintings, and in any case, the vast areas of wood paneling don't encourage them. Ranged throughout the house, however, are a series of four rare 17th-century Flemish tapestries, these being allegorical depictions of America, Europe, Africa and Asia respectively.

west wing was added by Baker

Rhodes's books in the library and his private study reflect his wide interests. The study houses a unique collection of obscure Roman and Greek classics. He was also a big fan of Napoleon. The library houses the bulk of the books, most of them dealing with travel and exploration.

When Rhodes was alive, two photographs of falcon statues - representing Ra, the ancient Egyptian sun-god - enjoyed pride of place next to his bed. These images were placed above and below a photograph of one of the soapstone eagles from the Zimbabwe Ruins - the juxtaposition of these images echoing Rhodes's belief that these two civilizations were connected in some way.

The bathroom adjoining Rhodes's bedroom is a highlight. It contains a huge bathtub carved from a single piece of Paarl mountain granite, for which the floor had to be specially reinforced. Water spurts through the mouth of a brass lion, and once the bath is full, it takes a mere five minutes before the water is stone cold again!

Rhodes enjoyed filling his house with people, and during his short residence at Groote Schuur many visitors trooped through the heavy teak front door and took tea or partied on the colonnaded back veranda, his favorite place for entertaining. Among the frequent guests were the Rudyard Kiplings, Lord and Lady Edward Cecil, Baden-Powell, the Duke of Westminster, and the treacherous Princess Radziwill who tried, in vain, to connive a permanent place for herself in Rhodes's bachelor life.

The gardens at Groote Schuur enjoy a matchless setting against the hunched, benevolent presence of Devil's Peak. From the back veranda, shallow steps lead up past the formal terraces to an avenue of stone pines, from where one can gaze down at Baker's handiwork and the spread of urban Cape Town beyond.

The massive rose garden is edged with thick hedges of starry blue plumbago - Rhodes's favorite flower. The incredible esteem in which this controversial man was held is reflected in the fact that for many years after his death - 26 March 1902 - thousands of Capetonians would religiously commemorate the occasion by wearing a sprig of plumbago on their lapels.

Devil's Peak

From 1910 to 1984, it was the official Cape residence of the Prime Ministers of South Africa including Jan Smuts and continued as a presidential residence until FW De Klerk who was the last president to reside there. De Klerk and his wife Marike in particular removed some of the priceless furniture into storage and did a little redecorating to make the house more family friendly for their three children.

The Rhodes billiards room became a family room complete with pink chintz-upholstered furniture.

the wallpaper is imported embossed, painted and gilded Spanish leather

It was in this room that Nelson Mandela met with De Klerk to negotiate and finally sign the historic Groote Schuur Minute on May 4, 1990. The document was a commitment between the two parties towards the resolution of the existing climate of violence and intimidation as well as a commitment to stability and to a peaceful process of negotiations.

It is not so easy to visit Groote Schuur. I tried and failed at least six times to do it. The house is open by appointment only and not on any consistent schedule so it is hard to plan ahead. Your best bet is to call and see whether there is a tour that coincides with your visit to Cape Town. It is well worth the effort!