Meerhoffkasteel - historiese heuwel in die Hardeveld.

Abstract

• Opsomming: In die gebied bekend as die Hardeveld, sowat vyftien kilometer wes van die dorpie Nuwerus in die Kaapprovinsie, lê die piramidale spitskoppie Meerhoffkasteel. Hierdie heuwel lê ver van die woelige beskawing, maar in die sewentiende en agtiende eeu is dit dikwels deur baanbrekerreisigers besoek. Reisgeselskappe, in 1662 dié van Pieter Cruijthoff en ʼn jaar later een waarvan Pieter van Meerhoff en Jonas de la Guerre lede was, het die Hardeveld noord van die Olifantsrivier verken en die bestaan bevestig van "een marmer bergh", klaarblyklik Meerhoffkasteel. Dit was eers in 1682 dat die naam Meerhoffkasteel vir die eerste keer in ʼn reisjoernaal opgeteken is, en wel toe Oloff Bergh en sy geselskap na die Hardeveld gereis het. Simon van der Stel en sy reisgeselskap het in September 1685 ook Meerhoffkasteel aangedoen. By dié geleentheid het die Kommandeur sy naam in een van die grotte laat uitbeitel. Ander reisigers wat Meerhoffkasteel later besoek het, was J.T. Rhenius (1721, 1722 en 1724) en I.P. Giebeler (1739). Gedurende 1739 het ʼn belangrike veldslag tussen soldate van die Kompanjie en die Boesmans in die nabyheid van Meerhoffkasteel plaasgevind as gevolg waarvan die Boesmans as ʼn faktor uit die Hardeveld verdwyn het. Plase in die Hardeveld is hierna aan boere toegeken en in 1792 het J. Jorssen die eerste eienaar van die Ieningsplaas Meerhoffkasteel geword. In Julie 1978 is ʼn gedenkplaat deur die Raad vir Nasionale Gedenkwaardighede by hierdie historiese terrein onthul.

• Summary: Meerhofftasteel is a pyramid-shaped hill in the area known as the Hardeveld and is situated approximately fifteen kilometres west of the town of Nuwerus in the Cape Province. Today it lies far from the mainstream of civilization, but in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries pioneer travellers often visited this spot. In 1662 the expedition of Pieter Cruijthoff, and in the following year that of Pieter Meerhoff and Jonas de la Guerre explored the Hardeveld area north of the Olifants River and in their notes referred to "a mountain of marble", probably Meerhofftasteel. The first definite reference to the name Meerhofftasteel was made in 1682 by Oloff Bergh in his diary. In September 1685, when the expedition of Simon van der Stel visited the hill, the commander had his name chiselled out in one of the caves. Among those who later visited Meerhoffkasteel were J.T. Rhenius (1721, 1722 and 1724) and I.P. Giebeler (1739). During 1739 an important battle was fought in this area between troops of the Dutch East India Company and the Bushmen which resulted in the Bushmen’s influence disappearing from the region. Farms were then allocated to farmers, and in 1792 J. Jorssen became the first owner of the loan farm MeerhoffkasteeI. In 1978 the National Monuments Council unveiled a plaque at this historical site.