St Jude’s Anglican Church

In 1855 the first bishop of the Cape Colony, Robert Gray and his wife Sophy, visited an Anglican congregation in Oudtshoorn. Sophy Gray supplied suitable plans for the church and building started in 1860. Mention is made of a service held within the 3-foot high walls and a roof of calico suspended overhead. In these early years the poverty-stricken congregation found it difficult to pay the stonemasons but by 1863 the building was eventually completed. Finally, St Jude’s Anglican Church was consecrated on 23 September 1863 by Bishop Gray.

Over the years periodic additions were built onto the original rectangular church. Most of these additions were designed by the original building contractor, the well-known architect George Wallis. In 1863 the vestry was built and extended in 1887 when the north transept and belltower were taken into use.

In 1880 the chancel and porch had been added. The east end of the chancel has a memorial stained-glass window set in 14th century geometric tracery to the memory of W P Edmeades (d1859).

Upon the death of Queen Victoria in 1902, the congregation considered completing the cruciform by extending the south transept. However, it was finally decided that a hall would be of greater use and so the Victoria Memorial Hall was built on the site of the old school chapel in 1905. In this way the open quadrangle in front of the rectory was preserved and has always been much admired. The new school chapel in the grounds west of the church has been sold and is now a private home.

The tombstone south of the church is that of the first rector, Alfred Morris. It was transferred from the old Bath Street Cemetery in recent years due to vandalism and neglect of the graveyard.