History of Greyton

Province: Western Cape
Overberg
Coordinates: 34°3′S 19°37′E
Area: 2.89 km2
Municipality:  Theewaterskloof

Greyton was established in 1854 in a valley thich with green forests. it was home to the Hassequas who were a KhoKhoi tribe. The Hassequas had their kraals on the banks of the Gobos River which was named after their ancestral chief. They had huge herds of cattle which is the reason Ensign Schriver was sent there in the 1600s from the Castle of Good Hope.

He was to barter with Stoffel Keoekson the headman of this tribe. Koekson became so wealthy from these exchanges that he moved the tribe to Boschmanskloof where they built proper mud-brick houses. Some of these foundations are still beneath old Boschmanskloof houses today.

In 1793 the Koekson tribal lands were given to Marthinus Theunissen as a loan farm. He was a Dutchman who named the farm Weltevreden and built a homestead. He did not stay there long because of constant disputes with his neighbours over straying cattle and the boundaries he set up.

The farm was then used by Hendrik Cloete who bred horses and grew fruit and vegetables.
However, in 1707 large tracts of land owned by Willem Adriaan Van Der Stel were granted as loan farms to burgers and officials. This, of course, excluded the Hessequas who not only lost their land and traditional spaces but also were affected by a deadly outbreak of smallpox in 1713. The destitute tribe had to resort to becoming servants to the Dutch farmers
The farm Weltevreden was then bought by Herbert Vigne a well-educated man from London who was related to Sir George Gray, governor of the Cape. Vigne thought he might attract valuable patronage by naming it after his relative. In 1854 he subdivided the farm into 120 plots. The layout of the village was set out by J G Rietz, who was a senior surveyor and the design has remained more or less the same.

These plots were made available for sale to buyers of all races at affordable prices. The plots were supplied with water from lei water furrows that crisscrossed the village. The houses were built close to the street to allow for larger back portions in which to grow produce.

Greyton was the only place in the Cape where full title deeds grazing rights and water rights were granted to anyone. Some descendants of these people still live in Greyton today. The town was proclaimed as a municipality in 1910 but was incorporated into the Theewaterskloof Municipality. In 2013.

The postal code in Greyton is 7233

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Things to see and do in Greyton:

• One of the main attractions in Greyton is the Saturday Market at the Market Square. It is here where you meet the local people and the local artists of the village.
• Christmas in July
• The famous Bosmanskloof trail is from Greyton to McGregor, where you can  stay over and hike back the following day or you can arrange a lift back
• Greyton Open Gardens and Rose Fair    https://www.greytonrosefair.com/
• Greyton Art Walk event in November/December, when galleries and studios open from lunchtime on Friday to lunchtime on Sunday.
• Join the Greyton Riding Club for lessons or outrides through orchards, dams, streams, and into the mountains: Robynn 0836226274
• Book an outride through the countryside: 0828727387.
• Greyton Bike Hire 072 324 8676
• Greyton Creative Arts Festival in August  www.greytontourism.com
• The 10 fynbos walks are largely centred around the Gobos River valley, and get you out of the traffic and up into some splendid mountain country. They are well laid-out and are marked with distinctive coloured footprints( contact Greyton Tourism)
• Walk around the historical buildings. Get a map from Tourism 028 254 9414 or contact tour guide Michel Rouillard 0827079156
• Take a tour of the nature reserve and learn about medicinal plants with Marshall Rinquest 0734861965
• Greyton Mountain Bike Tours  083 4570679    greyton.mtb.club@gmail.com
• Pie Run Gravel Grinder MTB event from Greyton to Riviersonderend and back
• DIY mountain bike rides, and permits available from Vanilla Café
• Dwarskloof pass
• Greyton Conservation Society is a very active society run by volunteers who keep the Greyton Nature Reserve in pristine condition. They offer regular hikes and hiking parties. http://greytonconser​vationsociety.com/
• The Greyton Genadendal Classics for All Festival is held annually on the first weekend of June
• Other happenings in Greyton see Greyton Origins centre

Useful Numbers in Greyton

• Police: 028 251 8162
• Traffic department: Caledon Traffic Department-028 212 2878
• Fire: Caledon-028 212 2574
• Water:
• Electricity:
• Ambulance: Caledon Ambulance Service-028 212 9111
• Post office;028 251 8196
• Library:028 254 9620
• Closest hospital; Caledon Hospital-028 212 1072
• Clinic -028 254 9620 Pharmacy;The Greyton Apothecary Pharmacy-023 254 9771
• Residents Association: 072 835 8768    grroinfo@gmail.com
• SPCA: Greyton Farm Animal Sanctuary-082 558 775  Greyton Animal Welfare
• Snake removal: 082 922 5931
• Tourism 028 254 9564 
• Greyton bicycle hire: 083 304 9508  028 254 9409
• Schools:
• Greyton House Independent School-028 254 9260
• Greyton Primary School -028 254-9943
• Uitkyk Primary School-028 254 9605