LEKKERWIJN
Accommodation Services in Franschhoek

Lekkerwijn is an historic Cape Dutch Homestead set in magnificent grounds and gardens offering the very best accommodation. Lekkerwijn is an historic Cape Dutch Homestead set in magnificent grounds and gardens offering single travelers, couples, families and groups a memorable experience. We are ideally situated in the heart of the cape winelands within 15 minutes of Franschhoek, Stellenbosch and Paarl. Unique experience of staying in a Historic Cape Dutch homestead. Unfortunately, Van Reenen cannot understand Pickstone’s Californian methods and the partnership is dissolved and the farm abandoned. His friend Herbert Baker advises on conservation of and changes to the buildings. 1908 Aware of the health consequences of the damp problem at Lekkerwijn, HEV is determined to build a damp-free bedroom wing extension. Herbert Baker advises and his firm are commissioning architects. Throughout the 20th, and continuing into the 21st Century, Lekkerwijn has been the family home to five generations of Pickstones, one of the Cape’s most prominent families. His vision, energy, hard work and influence developed a virtually non-existent industry into one of the key exporting industries of fresh, dried and canned fruit. Although the global fruit industry no longer drives the Valley or the Estate, HEV’s granddaughter and great-grandson continue to maintain the legacy and the properties that he left behind. Dutch farmers are close to bankruptcy and their old homesteads in need of care to prevent destruction. Meerlust, next door to lekkerwijn, is sold for a transport wagon and a pair of mules so the owner could seek his fortune providing transport to the new diamond mines at Kimberley. He shuns the gold rush to the north and begins working on fruit farms in Riverside and Santa Clara Valley, learning to set buds. There, he sees Californians packing their produce into the refrigerated trans-continental rail trucks and sending them to the East coast markets. growing fruit in the southern hemisphere and shipping it fresh and out-of-season to New York and London Markets. HEV Pickstone returns to the Cape determined to develop fruit varieties more suitable to the export market. The Pioneer Fruit Growing Company is established by Harry Pickstone and financially backed by Cecil Rhodes and Rudd. His friend Herbert Baker advises on conservation of, and changes to, the buildings. The flag is an enduring memorial to the origin of the Huguenot people who developed the valley and the Elephants who originally created the well-trodden path between Franschhoek and Villiersdorp. Each pioneer claims around 50ha each along the banks of the Berg River and its tributaries. As highly trained craftsmen and experienced farmers (especially winemaking), the French are considered an unexpected asset to the success of the new colony. On arrival in South Africa if they are skilled in agriculture they are provided with land, implements, seed and animal stock on the proviso that they reimburse the Dutch East India Company with the resulting produce. 1655-1700 The French vastly increase the capacity of the wine industry with the number of vine plants increasing from 100 in 1655 to over a million in 1850 The last of the legendary herds of elephants that roamed the mountains is seen leaving the valley. The monument’s three arches symbolise the Holy Trinity with the Sun of Righteousness rising above them. The woman holds a bible in her right hand, while in her left is a broken chain that symbolises liberation from religious oppression.