The first Title Deed of this National Monument was registered to Hans Henske. All title deeds had to be registered in Amsterdam and it took years for registration to be effected. Weltevreden is the third farm outside of the Town and is likely to have been settled at the time of the founding of the small settlement of Stellenbosch.
The property was transferred to Caspar Hendrik Badenhorst. He had five sons and it seems likely that the whole approximate 25 000 of the Badenhorst family can trace their Founding Father to this man! Many years ago a family reunion of the Badenhorst Clan was held on Weltevreden and family members came from the USA and other parts of South Africa
Deborah Retief and her husband, Christoffel Esterhuysen purchased the property in 1812 from Sybrand Vermeulen. Their initials are moulded into the back gable plasterwork. Deborah was the sister of the famous Voortrekker Leader, Piet Retief. The Cellar gable is dated 1804 and rumour has it that this building was built by Piet Retief, although it was more likely to have been built by Vermeulen.
Legend has it that the Groot Trek was already contemplated by 1812 and that the wagon wheels reflected on the gables was a public demonstration that the Voortrekkers (the local name for the settlers who later moved) were contemplating a move into the main land undiscovered at the time.
The period 1812 – 1815 was the height of the Neo-Classical era and the Cape enjoyed renewed prosperity. Six important Cape Dutch houses were built during this time in the greater Stellenbosch area, namely, Boschendal, Weltevreden, Zevenwacht, Neethlingshof, Old Nectar and Navarre. Of these, two remain private homes.
In 1817 the original house was demolished and a new Cape house was built adjacent to the old one. The Cellar gable of Weltevreden was copied to become the end gables of the new house. The “H” shaped Cape Dutch house, with six elaborate gables is dated 1812. The unusual end gables are in the Cape Flemish style with a crown motif at the top.
Piet Retief’s father, Jocubus Retief, had a slave who was a first rate builder and he was hired out to neighbours or relatives. It is highly likely that this slave built Weltevreden. Slavery was abolished in 1834.
In 1908 the property was acquired by Lourens Johannes Smith whose family owned the farm until 1989. Mrs Laurie Joubert was born on Weltevreden in 1910 – one of sixteen children.
The buildings were proclaimed a National Monument.
The property was purchased by the Peel family.
The whole property was proclaimed a National Monument.
The Bezuidenhout family acquired the property
