History of Somerset West

Province: Western Cape
Coordinates: 34°05′S 18°51′E
Area: 61.37 km2
Municipality; City of Cape Town

Cattle Post along the Lorens River

In the area of the Lourens River, the Dutch established a cattle post in 1672. The town of Somerset West was established on the farm Vergelegen (Dutch for Far away) At the time the area was called Tweede Rivier, Eerste Rivier flowed through Stellenbosch to the North.
Somerset West was named after Lord Charles Somerset, an English governor of the Cape colony.
In the 1800s after 1825, “West” was added to differentiate it from the other “Somerset” in the Eastern Cape.

Difficult mountain crossings

The first recorded crossing over the mountains into the interior towards where Somerset West lies today, by the settlers was in 1664. By 1821 4500 ox waggons per year trekked over the mountain. However, conditions were so treacherous that more than 20 % were damaged or lost.
There are ruts left by these waggons that can still be seen and they are preserved as National monuments.

Construction of a Mountain Pass

Easier access from the town to outposts inland was gained by the construction of a pass to ensure safe passage. The construction began about 2 km south of The Hottentots Holland Kloof. The engineer Charles Michell used convict labour to complete the pass which opened in 1830. It was named after Lowry Cole who was the Governor of the Cape Colony at the time

The license plate prefix for Somerset West is CFM and the postcode is 7130

Things to see and do in Somerset West

Reisling Park Outdoor Gym Reisling Street, Heldervue
Sir Lowry’s pass

WEATHER IN SOMERSET WEST TODAY

SEE ALL LISTINGS IN SOMERSET WEST

Useful Numbers in Somerset West

Police: 021 850 1303
Traffic department: 021 400 3915
Fire: 107 or 480 7700
Water:0860 103 089
Electricity: 0860 103 089 / 0860 037 566 Eskom
Ambulance: 10177
Post office; 021 851 7053
Somerset Mall post office 021 851 0972
Garden Village Community Hall: 021 850 4262
Closest hospital; Helderberg hospital 021 850 4700
Mediclinic Vergelegen 021 850 9000
Library:021 400 2867
Somerset West Town Hall: 021 850 4261
SPCA: Helderberg animal rescue: 021 852 22268
Schools:Somerset West private school: 021 852 8451
Somerset West Primary: 021 851 2040
Beaumont primary: 021021 851 7124
Somerset College: 021 842 8000
Helderberg high: 021 855 4949
Helderberg primary: 021 855 1482
Tourism (0)21 840 1400
The City of Cape Town Public Emergency Communication Centre is available 24/7 For all life or property threatening emergencies, call 021 480 7700 from any phone or 107 from a landline or report online at https://bit.ly/3o4Ji3K

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