Proposal:

To restore, conserve and make use of Ella Gordon’s farm “Karwyderskraal”:

• her homestead
• the dwellings around it
• the Horse Graveyard

Karwyderskraal is a cultural landscape with an agricultural history. Its significance lies in the period in which Ella Gordon owned the farm bequeathed to the Moravian Church who continue to own it.

Ella Gordon built her house herself in a very individualistic style. She decorated walls, shutters and self-made furniture with paintings, which are still visible.

She built a school and a church and some more dwellings with and for her labourers around her own house and created a healthy community life on her farm.

Ella Gordon always had horses which she trained as ‘trick-horses’. When they died, they were buried on her horse-graveyard. Every horse got a tombstone. This horse graveyard is a unique feature.

One idea is to use Karwyderskraal farm including her homestead and the other historical buildings around it as an Outdoor Education Centre specialising on horse-riding for children and youth. In this manner one could capture Ella Gordon’s spirit and her love for horses and her life-long striving in empowering children and youth.

Outcomes:

• Place of historical interest (Tourism)
• Job creation and skills training for people of Karwyderskraal and others
• Education Centre for children and youth in outdoor experiences, environmental education, social skills and animal husbandry
• Open all year  for schools  and especially during school holidays

References: SJ du Toit’s book – Hermanus Stories II (p158)
John Annandale’s book,   Ella Gordon and her trick horses
A Mouton in Village Life April /May 05- The remarkable Miss Gordon of Karwyderskraal
L. Hoch . A. Heslop . 2010