House buy in Glen Dirk Western Cape

Built in the late 1800’s, this incredible property holds significant importance in the heritage of South Africa. Where extravagance meets opulence, this solidly built structure was first built and used as part of the Old Cannon Street Brewery as a storage facility for grains and heavy equipment in the early 1900’s before it was purchased and renovated by the world-famous South African artist, Robert Gwelo Goodman. With the intention of turning the property into his formal residence, Gwelo set about the renovation to transform the property while keeping as much of the original structure and the unique features in place to showcase the incredible craftsmanship of the carpenters with their beautiful woodwork throughout the home as well as the spectacular stonemasonry still showcased in the home today. The home is still used as Gwelo intended as it stands today, with his notable renovation and alterations work still very much visible. From the slabs of stone taken from the slopes of Table Mountain used on the grand double staircase leading from the main entrance gallery, with a beautifully exposed wooden trussed-ceiling, to the character-filled grain-marked bricks laid out in front of the incredible double volume sash windows, the uniqueness of this home holds notable heritage importance and value. The residence is set on an expansive erf of 5985 square metres (+-64422 square feet) and is made up of multiple dwellings, with the main residence offering over 1000 square metres (10763 square feet) of under roof floor space. Alongside the main residence, there are separate staff quarters, a laundry room and a large outbuilding that can be used as storage space or converted into a usable studio of sorts. The old gate house has also been converted into a lovely one bedroomed cottage, located with direct access to Cannon Street. From the moment one enters the gates, the significance of grandeur meets the eye, with the main residence boasting an entrance hall of grand proportions, with over 14 metres of height from floor to ceiling, with an incredible staircase leading up from the entrance to the three passageways all leading to the 8 spacious bedrooms, all with their own en-suite bathrooms, making this home ideal for hosting multiple families and guests. On the upper level, a modern, open-plan loft apartment has been added with a kitchen, dining and living space, as well as a rooftop balcony with sweeping views of the incredible Table Mountain. The lower level of the home boasts 3 grand reception rooms, all flooded with beautiful natural light from the floor-to-ceiling sash windows, fitted with the skill-fully crafted marbled fireplaces and finished off with the original brass fittings such as light switches and chandeliers. A smaller lounge /study is situated to the right of the entrance hall, while on the left is the kitchen and smaller dining area with a separate family room ideal for a formal sitting room. The reception rooms all open up onto the immaculate and lush tree-lined gardens, all perfectly landscaped and as private as can be. With expansive lawns surrounding the home, shaded by the giant, well-established trees and other beautiful shrubs, the gardens provide an incredible feeling of serenity, adding to the mystic and elegant feeling of the property as a whole. A lovely covered porch off one of the reception rooms overlooks the vastly sized swimming pool, which provides an incredible, breathtaking view of the property and garden and is the perfect spot to soak up the majestic Cape Town summer sun. Gwelo has hosted world-famous guests in this exceptional home, with Princess Alice, granddaughter of Queen Victoria being one of many, and since his ownership, it has provided an incredible home for families and has previously been used as a boutique guest house many years ago. With two gates providing a separate entrance and exit to the property, there is space for 15 cars to park in the front of the home, adding to the grand feeling it provides. A full heritage report has been conducted on the property, with approved sub-division rights making this home ideal for a family looking for a significant Cape Town residence, or a developer who is looking for an incredible, once in a lifetime opportunity to add their vision to this incredible heritage property. The incredibly rare opportunity to own this prestigious property which holds significant value and boasting such diverse South African History is not to be missed.