Bonnievale can be explored through two historical themes: the Mary Myrtle Rigg Church and the canals that continue to supply parts of the town with water. At the church, the focus is on a personal dedication, its architectural style and design details. The canals are notable for their ongoing water supply and substantial preservation. Together, they offer different points of interest for a trip focused on culture and local history.
The Mary Myrtle Rigg Church: Dedication and Architectural Style
The Mary Myrtle Rigg Church was built at the request of Mary Myrtle Rigg. She was the daughter of Christopher Forrest Rigg, who had the small church built in her memory. Its origins connect the building to a specific family dedication.
The church is small and designed in the Norman style. These two details help place it in context in different ways: “small” describes its scale, while “Norman” identifies its style. For travellers interested in architecture, this offers a tangible local point of reference. At the same time, the architectural detail is distinct from the family story behind its construction: it describes the style, not the reason it was built.
The dates also mark different milestones. The foundation stone bears the year 1921, but the first Anglican service was not held until 1924. The inscription therefore does not mark the beginning of services; it is a separate date associated with the church.
Above the main entrance is a statuette modelled on Mary Myrtle; behind it, a rose bush is depicted with seven roses symbolising her seven years of life. The entrance design thus reflects the church’s personal dedication and adds a specific symbolic motif to its architectural description.
Canals with an Ongoing Function
More than 100 years after they were completed, the canals built by Rigg still supply water to Bonnievale’s entire eastern side and large parts of its western side. They have also been largely preserved as Rigg built them. This combination of ongoing function and largely original form gives the canals a different historical significance from the church: their importance to the town lies not in a personal dedication or a single construction date, but in their continued water supply. The coverage varies by area: supply extends across the whole eastern side and large parts of the western side.
These features offer two distinct ways to explore the area’s cultural history. If you want to understand the story of a single building through its dedication, architectural style and a symbolic detail, the church can serve as your point of reference. If you are more interested in how a historic structure continues to serve a purpose long after it was built, turn your attention to the canals. Together, they represent two distinct facets of local history: biographical and architectural history, and ongoing infrastructure.
Discover more destinations: Ceres, Stellenbosch, Montagu, Pniel, Klapmuts, Tulbagh Road, Tulbagh, Robertson
For the wider travel overview: Cape Winelands.
