Hooggelegen has been in the de Wit family for over five generations and one of the oldest family owned wine farms in the Durbanville area.
We had a delightful visit at this farm and was intrigued by the history.
Why is it called Signal Gun?
The VOC installed more than 50 canons on hills and mountains around the Cape to form a signal gun chain that could call the Burgher Militia to defend the Cape. This signal gun chain extended from the Signal Hill, Cape Town via Durbanville to Citrusdal in the North West, Worcester in the north and via Tygerberg to Suurbraak beyond Swellendam in the east. Some of these cannons are still used to fire on their farm , 300 years later, but only on joyful occasions.
The canon in front of the restaurant is the original one that was fired on top of Hoogeberg Hill. This is the hill right behind the restaurant overlooking the Durbanville Valley on the eastern side and Table Bay on the western side.
Yes they do!!
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Do they still fire the cannon on Signal Hill at noon every day?
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Dankie, ons het dit so geniet!
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Dis pragtig!
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Two things I would have never put together, canons and grapes. What an interesting story.
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Yes it was such an interesting story!
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