Alphen, Cape Town

The Cloete family bought the estate in 1850. They made wine and farmed export fruit. The first Cloete, Jacob Cloete(n), a mercenary from Cologne, sailed to South Africa with Jan van Riebeeck. The family prospered and various members, at one time or other, owned many of the important Cape Dutch estates, including Groot Constantia. During the 1960’s Sandy Bairnsfather Cloete, was forced to sell off most of the land because of encroaching urbanization. He converted the Manor House and certain other buildings into a country house hotel. The present owners, Nicky and Dudley Cloete-Hopkins, have reacquired certain adjacent properties, formerly part of the farm, and restored and converted the cellars, stables and coach house into offices. The buildings now stand on 16 acres. Alphen’s great square was declared a National Monument in 1973.