By Staff Reporter
Floris and Ingrid Moraal, formerly from Leiden in The Netherlands, are the proud new owners of the Seven Fountains Farm (formerly known as the Assegai Inn).
When the couple bought the farm it had been empty for five years; had been vandalised, had its roof stolen and was a near ruins. In September 2015 the couple started making plans for restoring the buildings together with Murray Wrench. Finally in March 2016 restoration started. Floris travelled between the Netherlands and South Africa over a two-year period to help with the renovation. In August this year the couple moved onto the farm together with their two children, seven-year old Abel and Lot who is five. The children are settled into Kingswood College.
“When we saw the farm for the first time, even in the bad condition as it was, we immediately fell in love with it and saw the great potential restoring the old buildings in its former beauty and glory,” said Ingrid.
“In 1717 it was built by another Dutchman. We want to preserve these historic buildings for future generations and now are opening Seven Fountains Farm, 300 years after it was build.”
Apart from restoring the old buildings, they have also reopening the guesthouse. They believe Seven Fountains Farm “will be a great addition for tourism and preserve one of the oldest farm buildings in the Eastern Cape for future generations”.
Seven Fountains Farm (www.sevenfountainsfarm.co.za) is a guesthouse and lunchroom.
The guesthouse can accommodate 24 people in five double individually furnished rooms and three self-catering cottages which can accommodate up to six people each.
Besides the guesthouse, Seven Fountains Farm has its own restaurant where lunches prepared with local products from surrounding farms and on site, will be served. Dinners for our guests can be served on request. “We serve simple, straight forward and quality food. A rustic style cooking that tastes like home”. Seven Fountains Farm also accommodates venues like weddings.
For further information about the Seven Fountains Farm and guesthouse, contact Ingrid on 076 175 1589 or Floris on 076 478 9738.
