Since opening its doors in 1899, the Mount Nelson Hotel has borne witness to two world wars and facilitated strategic tactic talks for South Africa’s famous Anglo Boer War.  For it was here, in the heart of Cape Town, that the great statesmen of the time, Lords Kitchener, Buller and Roberts gathered to discuss war stratagem.

Steeped in history and tradition, the Mount Nelson Hotel has continued to embark on its historical journey by acquiring six late Victorian buildings situated in the south extension of Faure Street, on the edge of its existing property. Four of these buildings have been sensitively renovated and adapted to house the luxurious new spa.

Home ownership in Victorian Cape Town during the 19th Century was limited to people of the ilk of successful merchants, high-ranking civil servants and affluent professionals.  Even then these people could not indulge their tastes until late in the century because of local building conditions, shortage of skilled labour and the high cost of imported components and materials. During this period, it was not usual for the vast majority of people in the lower end of the social scale to own their own homes.  These folk did not have sufficient funding to make the initial capital outlay, nor did they have the necessary collateral to borrow capital.
This situation provided fertile ground for the talented entrepreneur.  A capitalist investor would acquire the land by subdividing historic farmland, then build houses and rent them out to produce a handsome return on the money invested.  As the 19th Century progressed, the inner suburbs spread in a wide semi-circle around the old nucleus of Cape Town and were markedly split into two by the Company’s Gardens. The western half tended to continue conservatively in the Cape Dutch, mainly Georgian, tradition of building while the eastern side, which catered for the poorer and probably less influential classes, was developed in the modern English fashion.

It was the speculation that arouse surrounding the architecture of domestic dwellings in which the distaste of the style and design of the housing in that day was voiced, that led to the development of Wilkinson and Faure Streets.  Prior to the early 1860’s architects were not highly regarded in the Cape.  However, many years later, when new-found wealth and land developers made their mark upon society, that two architects destined to make a notable contribution to Cape Town’s cityscape, made their entrée and left their signature on four of the buildings in upper Faure Street.

Fred Cherry MRIA, an Irishman, designed no 34 and 36 Faure Street for William Irwin Esq.  Cherry also undertook alterations at the rear of no 32 Faure Street for the same client. William Black FRIBA, from England, was responsible for the relatively elaborate construction of Carnavon House at 30 Faure Street from Mr A Muller.

To fully appreciate the domestic architecture of Faure Street, it is necessary to understand what the private home meant to the society of the time.  For the Victorian middle class, the house had important connotations – it was regarded as the shrine of the family and was thought to be the focal point of life.

The house was also regarded as an accurate reflection of the social status of a family.  Even their cultural background and aspirations could be read from the choice and style of interior furnishings.

Needless to say, the first requirement in a house of any pretension was a good suite of reception rooms – the minimum being a dining and a drawing room.  In larger houses, additional reception rooms, such as a study and morning room were found.  Most had at least a third room which was usually smaller than the main reception rooms a little more private.

Besides these rooms, there seems to have been a fashion, which started in the 1880’s, for a small lady’s room upstairs.  This occurred in the largest houses and was usually associated with a balcony.  The provision of fireplaces in these rooms varied, but at a minimum the drawing room possessed at least one fireplace.

At least one bay window was required from 1880 onwards. This was found in the drawing room, but often the other reception rooms had them as well.  Bedrooms were not lavish either in size or number.  The single exception was the master bedroom, which also served as the sitting room of the mistress of the house, so it was usually made larger and given a fireplace.

Mr Faure himself resided in a fine old Georgian dwelling “Villa Faure”, at the lower end of Faure Street. This building was modified in 1901 for a Mr C J Muller esq. with two double-storeyed Victorian extensions and today exists as the “Fritz Hotel”. From there it progressed into Wilkinson Street.  The extension of Faure Street was almost certainly instigated by the developer and his intentions seem to have been to create an exclusive enclave in response to the affluence of the 1890’s.

Today all six buildings in Upper Faure Street have been identified in the draft Cultural Heritage Strategy as heritage resources, buildings and sites of outstanding local architecture, aesthetic and historical value.  As such the Librisa Spa at the Mount Nelson has been created in such a manner that whilst all new well-being philosophies shall be embraced, the past shall never be forgotten.

The Librisa Spa will be open to hotel-residents from mid December 2007 and to day-visitors from mid January 2008. For bookings call (27) (21) 483 1000.