Getting our ducks in a row

In October 1992,  the retaining wall on the orchard side of the parking terrace was built. A lionhead fountain spout, complete with all the necessary plumbing, was part of this phase of the project. It was part of a bigger scheme that would eventually incorporate a fountain in the orchard and the completion of the parking terrace and cellar.

The choice of the lionhead as the detail for the fountain was influenced by the classic use of lions since ancient times to symbolise strength, power, nobility, and courage. The Romans utilised lion sculptures for fountains, as seen with the Corbridge Lion, where a lion's mouth served as the spout for a large fountain.

After my retirement we realised that we had some outstanding projects that were to be completed by the time that we both retired. The water feature in the orchard was one of them.

In November 2024, we commissioned a builder to offer a quotation for the retiling of a section of the parking terrace, where the tiles had subsided and lifted under the large oak tree. Included in the building project was the building of steps and a ramp down to the cellar in the orchard. We took the opportunity to include the building of the “leidam” (irrigation water cistern) water feature under the lion fountainhead.

Although the initial idea was to build the steps and sides of the ramp with natural stone that we had collected over the years for incorporation into various building details on the property, we decided to opt for bricks and plastered walls instead. Keith decided to include klompie bricks in the steps and corner detail of the walls for the steps, ramp and water feature.

A klompie brick compared to a standard brick

Klompie bricks are small, traditionally hand-moulded Dutch bricks with a characteristic earthy tone and weathered texture, historically used as ship’s ballast in the 17th century. They were sought after by local property owners and were prized for their quality compared to local clays which were considered inferior for brickmaking at the time. They were used for a variety of exposed brickwork and details on buildings and landscaping features.

The stoep and steps of Marie Koopmans De Wet House in Strand Street, Cape Town

A good surviving example is the walls of the stoep and the steps of the historic Marie Koopmans De Wet House in Strand Street, Cape Town. The original dwelling, substantially extended and altered over the years, was built in 1701 by Reijnier Smedinga, silversmith, goldsmith, jeweler and joint assayer to the Dutch East India Company. The old buildings of the Cape, Hans Fransen, 2004

In his book, 18th Century Architecture In South Africa, first published in 1933, G E Pearse described the use of klompjes at the Cape as Follows, 

“For face work, steps, pavings, fountains, etc., small bricks called 'klompjes,' measuring about 7" x 3" x 11", were imported from Holland. Well made and burnt, they were of great decorative value, weathering to a rich golden yellow. The most notable example of their use is at the Castle, where they are used in the entrance in conjunction with imported blue stone and also in the upper portion of the walls and the Bell Turret."

The derivation of the term "klompje" as applied to these bricks is somewhat obscure. Literally it signifies "a little lump” and appears to be a local term of comparatively recent origin. They are called "geele klinkers" (yellow hard bricks) in the record of goods received from Holland and were imported in large quantities, a shipment of 50,000 being recorded.

He illustrated the use of different paving methods and described the illustrations as follows, 

Image: 18th Century Architecture in South Africa, G E Pearse, 1933  

"Klompje bricks on edge were most commonly used for steps and also as a margin to the stoep pavings (Fig. 23D). Rough irregular mountain stone was frequently employed in the courts and yards of the buildings, also cobble-stone paving (Fig.23 E., F)."

At Towerwater, the klompie bricks were used to reference this historical detailing and incorporate it at the cellar entrance and around the water feature. At the same time integrating the design with the established orchard and lion spout retaining wall.

Construction of the parking terrace retaining wall and the lion fountainhead commences in 1992

An aerial view of the back of the retaining wall taken in September 2000

The decision to use klompie bricks was easier than finding them. Although several brick companies manufacture klompie bricks with coloured cement, we wanted ones made with real clay to maintain the authentic feel of the building material on the property. We found a company that made the klompie bricks with real clay and also closer to the original specifications out at Joostenbergvlakte. It was quite a process to obtain the correct klompie bricks but in the end, it was worth the effort.

In March this year, when the water poured into the leidam through the lion’s mouth, we could stand back and marvel at the completion of the long overdue project. Listening to the water falling into the leidam is part of the enchantment of the water on the property. (Towerwater itself is derived from the Afrikaans word for "enchanted" water.)

The completed project

The completed project, including the orchard terrace

Slowly but surely, we are getting our ducks in a row. The klompie bricks around the entrance of the cellar and the water feature in the orchard add historical detail, connecting the project to Cape Dutch architectural traditions and creating a timeless finish that incapsulates the essence of Towerwater.

Today we can celebrate water gushing from the lion's mouth, believed to symbolise a continuous flow of prosperity, influenced by Feng Shui principles, which associate flowing water with good fortune and positive energy. The lion is believed to represent divine power while the water symbolises purification and life. Appropriate energies for a happy retirement.

Sources:

18th Century Architecture in South Africa, G E Pearce, 1933
Homesteads and Villages of South Africa, James Walton, 1952
The Architecture of the Cape Colony from 1795 to 1838, Thesis for the Degree of Doctor Of Philosophy at the University of Cape Town, November 1961
Early 19th Century Architecture in South Africa, Ronald Lewcock, 1963
Cape Dutch Houses and Other Old Favorites, Phillida Brooke Simons, 2000