About Us
History
Vredenheim is approximately 332 years old and one of the oldest wine estates in the Stellenbosch area of the Cape Winelands.
Owners Coen and Rikie Bezuidenhout acquired Vredenheim in 1986, after moving to the Cape from their game farm in Kwazulu Natal. The couple’s love for game explains the impressive variety of wildlife on the farm today, including blue wildebeest, springbok, eland, fallow deer and zebras. Vredenheim is now owned by the couple’s children, Basie and Elzabé Bezuidenhout.
The Manor House
The Manor House at Vredenheim was built in 1789 by Paul Roux. It was declared a National Monument in 1975, and is home to Vredenheim’s current owners. While the home has been restored over the years, much of the original furniture and decor still remains.
The dining area is home to a large wooden dining table and an original kitchen hearth, where fires would have been lit and food cooked in brass and cast-iron cookware. The hearth would provide heat for the dining area. The large windows flood the room with light during the day. Much of the original furnishings have been maintained in this room, retaining its historical and almost mystical feel of stepping back in time.
Two formal sitting areas occupy a very large room in the house. Both feature beautiful old furniture and fabrics, and have grand chandeliers overhead. Each sitting area also boasts large built-in wall display cabinets, which protrude only slightly from the wall. Each cabinet is home to a stunning array of original crockery and ornaments.
Vredenheim has a rich and vibrant history that stretches all the way back to 1625, the year in which the farm’s original owner was born. Discover the original farm name, the change of ownership over the years, the fascinating story behind our Manor House and other interesting topics in our historical summary.