LOCATION: Newlands Village
LEADER: Louise van Riet
Our walkabout around Newlands village led by Louise van Riet following her insightful talk, demonstrated both elements of the old, beautifully retained architecture and the impact of gentrification on the scale, grain and character of the area.
Courtesy Jeanne Bull, while at St. Andrew’s Church, a fascinating snippet regarding the stained glass windows was revealed by Rosemary Wallace: “Point of interest is that the three windows on the east wall above the altar are by Burne Jones. They were gifted to the church by Lady Loch whose husband was the Governor of the Cape and they lived at Newlands House. Lady Loch was Gladstone’s daughter”.
The windows were dedicated in August 1912 and are the only examples of the renowned British artist, Edward Burne Jones’ glass in South Africa.
There was a period from the early 1960’s, following the strict implementation of the Group Areas Act, when the great majority of its parishioners, being classified ‘Coloured’, had to leave the area, and this resulted in St Andrew’s having to revert to its earliest situation as part of the parish of St Saviour’s in Claremont from 1 January 1966. Sustained effort by the few older members who could stay, and generous support from newcomers in the decade following, achieved its restoration as an independent parish, now with its own new Rectory, in February 1976.