Then & Now

In the shade of the oak trees that line Greyton’s Main Road, you’ll find the Old Potter’s Inn and Brewhouse, a heritage building dating back to the 1830s. No record exists to pinpoint the exact date the original building was completed, but it’s said to have first been a shepherd’s cottage, which still exists as part of the main structure today. That section is thatched, as were many cottages of the day. However, since the Greyton fire of 1987, which burnt down several houses in town, people have opted for flat roofs made of slate (and later corrugated iron), which don’t burn as easily.

The cottage is more than

150 years old and predates the declaration of Greyton as a town. That only happened in 1854, when a freehold agricultural village was proclaimed on the farm Weltevreden, belonging to Herbert Vigne. The town was named after

Sir George Grey, who was the governor of the Cape at the time. Greyton had a twin town over the Riviersonderend Mountains called

Lady Grey, now McGregor.

In 1927, construction began on a pass to link the two towns. Little progress was made and the job was abandoned in 1941 due to a lack of funds. To this day, no driveable route exists over the mountains. Travellers have to make a 195 km round trip – or hike the Boesmanskloof Trail between the towns.

The Old Potter’s Inn was declared a national heritage building in 1979. (It’s one of two in Greyton, the other being The Post House, where the “give that man a Bell’s” advert was filmed.) After serving as a shepherd’s cottage, it became a farmhouse and then, in 1881, a family home for the

Mays. Joseph Hermanus Mays was a blacksmith, wagon-builder and carpenter who went on to become one of Greyton’s first mayors.

In the 1970s, the building was bought by Des and Peggy Madden who turned it into a pottery studio, Ploom’s Pottery, which served as inspiration for its current name. In later years it was a restaurant and guesthouse called Bernard’s, and now it’s an inn, restaurant and brewery owned by Dr Trevor Gerntholtz and managed by Leon Engelbrecht. Sit on the veranda and sip a craft beer while you watch the tranquil rhythm of Greyton play out before you.

Their beers have fun names like Plaas Japie (saison), City Slicker (pale ale) and My China (rice lager). As you observe the comings and goings on Main Road, reflect on the fact that Greyton only got its first tarred road in 1951, and Greyton Primary School (then Heuvelkroon) was only built in 1980!

Things change slowly here, and that’s exactly what we love about it. Where? 16 Main Road

Opening times: Daily from 8 am to 3 pm (closed on Wednesdays). Contact: 028 254 9690; oldpottersinn.co.za

Sources: greytonconservation society.com; xplorio.com

PRE-TOWN (above). The original part of the inn is more than 150 years old. Today, it’s a restaurant, guesthouse and microbrewery. They’ve been brewing beers since 2016 and are taking the Overberg by storm.

VINTAGE OVERBERG. Thought to have been taken in the 1930s, this photo shows the Old Potter’s Inn before Greyton received its first tar road in 1951. Many original cottages were built with thatch roofs, but because of the fire risk, these were later replaced with flat roofs typical of Overberg settlements.