A common heritage

Rondebosch Common with the University of Cape Town at the foot of Devil's Peak in the background. The common is an open space in the centre of Cape Town suburbia - its history stretching back into the dim and distant past when Khoe herders grazed their sheep and cattle there. During the Dutch and English colonial periods it was used as a military encampment but also as common grazing land. Botanically it has become of great importance as it harbours two patches of almost extinct vegetation types - Sand Plain Fynbos and Renosterveld.

Gateway of hope

The imposing gateway and buildings of the Marsh Memorial Homes in Rondebosch. Established by the Rev. E.T. Marsh in 1901, it started out as an orphanage, but is now a "multi-cultural facility, catering for children whose homes are beset with financial difficulties, drug/alcohol problems or physical abuse, and who have suffered emotional trauma as a result".

Fix me!

This is a famous landmark in Cape Town: the Rondebosch Fountain. More correctly it is a water trough for horses, erected in 1891 - a hundred and ten years ago - to provide drinking water for the horses that pulled carts and wagons along the busy main road from Cape Town to Wynberg. It also provided gaslight by the looks of it. It was erected on this spot which is believed to be the site of the original Ronde Doorn Bosjen - a circle of thorn bushes that marked the site where a small fort or redoubt was to have been built near where, in 1657, Van Riebeeck settled some farmers - the first 'free burghers' - who were to grow produce for the Dutch ships that passed the Cape on their way to the East.

The cast iron fountain has four legs ending off with horse's hooves - redefining the "ball and claw" look! Sadly, as you can see, it is badly in need of some maintenance. It no longer is filled with water, and is rusting away, while cars frequently plough into the barrier rails around it. Come on City of Cape Town. This is not good enough!

For more fountains, Click here to view thumbnails for all participants.

Best foot forward

Yesterday was back to school for most schools in Cape Town. This is School House at Bishops - the nick name for Diocesan College in the suburb of Rondebosch, one of Cape Town's oldest (started in 1849) and best known schools, which is very much modelled on the British public schools of old.