Reinet House

Graaff-Reinet is home to the well-known Reinet House with its famous water wheel and old vine. This Cape Dutch building previously served as the Dutch Reformed Church parsonage.

The building was completed in 1811 and is one of the best examples of H-shaped six-gabled buildings in Cape Dutch style. The famous Cape architect Louis Thibault received much acclaim for building the house.

Reinet House was one of the earliest restoration projects in Graaff-Reinet. It fell into disrepair, following the death of Reverend Charles Murray in 1904, even losing its gables. In 1947 The Publicity Association brought the property for R 4000. Norman Eaton was the architect that restored it into a cultural history museum.

When a fire destroyed part of the museum in 1980, the contents were saved and the building restored once more. On display are some of the Laubser dolls which were made during the First World War when luxuries such as toys could not be imported.

The famous Black Acorn grape vine was planted by Rev. Charles Murray in 1870 and still bears fruit today. It was said to have been one of the largest vines in the world. The circumference once measured 3.1m.  Reinet House is also home to the locally brewed Withond ~ Witblitz ~ that is distilled in the back garden of the museum.