Historical interest surrounding Malmesbury

The area around Malmesbury was inhabited by Khoi San people before the European settlers made their way through. The town originally developed around a tepid sulphur spring and the first farms were allocated in 1703.

It was first known as "Het Zwartland" (Black Land) because of the typical rhinoceros bush, which has a black appearance during summer. When the fifth Dutch Reformed congregation in the Cape was established here in 1745 the congregation consisted of a mere 24 people who had made their homes near the sulphur spring in the vicinity. In 1829 it was renamed Malmesbury by the Cape governor Sir Lowry Cole in honour of his father-in-law Sir James Harris, First Earl of Malmesbury. The town acquired municipal status in 1860.

It is known that Jan van Riebeeck initiated several expeditions during 1655 that came through Malmesbury when he made contact with the Bushmen living in the area. 1658 marked the first shipload of slaves that were brought to the Cape. In 1808 slaves rebelled in the Swartland near Malmesbury, which resulted in the capturing of 300 farm slaves as dissidents.

From its inception Malmesbury has had two major natural disasters during the 1900's; in September 1905 a tornado hit the town leaving it devastated. In The late 1900's flood water's damaged a lot of old buildings in the town.

1885 ~ The first town hall built in Malmesbury. Photo taken of the flood that devastated the town during the 1950's.