16 July 1685
Constantia granted to Simon van der Stel
On 16 July 1685, VOC commissioner Hendrik van Rheede granted Simon van der Stel title to the estate he named Constantia, later known as Groot Constantia.
View in timelineOn 16 July 1685, VOC commissioner Hendrik van Rheede granted Simon van der Stel title to a large estate behind Table Mountain. Van der Stel named it Constantia and developed it for wine, grain and livestock production using enslaved labour and Company-connected agricultural resources.
Significance
The grant joined elite landholding, enslaved labour and wine agriculture, and the estate later became one of the Cape’s most prominent wine properties.
Why it matters
The grant joined elite landholding, enslaved labour and wine agriculture, and the estate later became one of the Cape’s most prominent wine properties.