The name Roodewal originates from the deep red soil of the Brondal Valley, a fertile expanse that has sustained Lowveld agriculture for generations. At the heart of this landscape stands a homestead approaching its centenary, notable for being one of the region’s earliest guest houses.
BOOK REVIEWS
It is appropriate to begin with a declaration of interest: I contributed a chapter on Prynnsberg and supported the publication of this book. That proximity, however, also allows for a fuller appreciation of both its achievements and its limitations.
BLUE PLAQUES
This house was designed by Charles Aburrow in 1897 for Thomas Cullinan (later Sir), master builder and diamond mining magnate. Cullinan was not prepared to fight against the Boers. He took his family to his wife's home in the Eastern Cape. There he joined the Wodehouse Yeomanry, a purely defensive group of local farmers, yet they nearly captured General Smuts at Moordenaars Poort.