A
Short history of the Museum
This museum is situated on a section of the farm originally granted to Pieter
Janz van Marseveen by Governor Willem Adriaan van der Stel on 8 February 1699.
The farm was a long strip of land which stretched from the Berg River to the
slopes of Paarl Mountain.
In 1714, the Landdrost and Heemraden of Stellenbosch purchased the ground as
a site for the building of a parsonage for the Dutch Reformed Congregation of
Drakenstein (Paarl) which was established in 1691. The first parsonage was most
probably erected in 1715. From approximately 1715 to 1872, eleven ministers from
the Thatched Roof Church (Strooidak Kerk) lived in the original and present
building.
By the middle of the 18th century,the parsonage was in a very neglected
condition and was restored in 1786. The parsonage was demolished and rebuilt,
partly with material from the original building. The new building was completed
in 1787. This building is an example of a U-shaped Cape Dutch styled house which
dates back to the 18th century.
In 1872 the property was sold to the Thom family and it remained in their
possession until 1924.In the late 1920's this building was used as a boy's
hostel by Paarl Gymnasium High School, until it was purchased by the Paarl Town
Council.
In 1939 this building was renovated and opened as the Huguenot Museum. During
the renovation the front gable was reconstructed and the side gables, which were
identical to the front gable, were replaced by concave-convex gables.In 1940 the
museum was proclaimed as the Huguenot Museum. In 1969 its name was changed to
the Old Parsonage Museum. On 1 March 1995 the name changed to Paarl Museum with
its theme, The History of Paarl.
