As is befitting a house such as this, lighting is by candles / gas lamps to retain the atmosphere, whilst a gas fridge and stove are installed. For absolute peace, tranquillity and security, no better retreat will be found. There is no cellphone reception in the vicinity of the house.
Stock farmers travelling nortwards had material shortages. Therefore they turned to dolerite and sandstone, of which there was no shortage. Hence the weird roof shapes.
As there could be no wooden trusses to support the roof, they made use of an ancient method of construction known as corbelling. This technique was implemented by placing successive courses of flat stone, each one extending a little further inward than the layer beneath, until the walls almost met at the apex.
The remaining hole over the roof could then be closed with a single slab. These thick stone walls were excellent insulators against the extreme heat of summer. The floors of most corbelled houses where made of smeared earth that was coloured a rich red with a mixture of fat and oxblood and then polished with a smooth stone.
Megalithic builders in Mediterranean countries used this building technique from as long ago as 4000 years, with examples of this style of architecture found in Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Greenland and Italy.
Constructed in a similar fashion (of limestone boulders) the trulli houses of Alberabello, Italy, feature domed or conical roofs and have been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Similarly, within South Africa, many of the corbelled houses of the Northern Cape enjoy Heritage status.
Our corbelled houses can also be compared with the Syrian beehive houses, with their thick mud brick walls, designed for the desert climate even harsher than that of the Karoo.
Today, many of the corbelled houses on farms in the Fraserburg, Williston and Carnarvon areas have been revamped as guest accommodation and you can lie in bed and stare up at the circular stone ceiling imagining a bygone era. One can also visit the Carnarvon Museum which is positioned right next to a corbelled house and enjoy this interesting architecture.
Tel: 27533826097 Cell: 082 221 7500 or 072 352 8070 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stuurmansfontein
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Megalithic builders in Mediterranean countries used this building technique from as long ago as 4000 years, with examples of this style of architecture found in Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Greenland and Italy.
Constructed in a similar fashion (of limestone boulders) the trulli houses of Alberabello, Italy, feature domed or conical roofs and have been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Similarly, within South Africa, many of the corbelled houses of the Northern Cape enjoy Heritage status.
Our corbelled houses can also be compared with the Syrian beehive houses, with their thick mud brick walls, designed for the desert climate even harsher than that of the Karoo.
Today, many of the corbelled houses on farms in the Fraserburg, Williston and Carnarvon areas have been revamped as guest accommodation and you can lie in bed and stare up at the circular stone ceiling imagining a bygone era. One can also visit the Carnarvon Museum which is positioned right next to a corbelled house and enjoy this interesting architecture.
Tel: 27533826097 Cell: 082 221 7500 or 072 352 8070 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stuurmansfontein
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