In the Beginning...

So there we were in Porterville, Western Cape and standing together looking at the old house with a solid looking garage, that used to be a stable. There wasn't much of a garden, but the fig tree was full of fruit, and the vines were heaving under all the grapes. The real estate lady told us that the property had once been much larger, and was sub-divided and sold off until it became the size we are looking at. The house being originally built in the early 1900's was in need of attention and so was the old garage that the current owner's classic Mercedes was collecting dust in.

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Taking a walk around the buildings, we noticed that an old garden shed had been added behind the garage. Even at that early time, we saw the great potential this offered with regards to a large living space. Once inside, we saw the feeding troughs along the wall of the garage and listened to the history of the building... it was once a stable for oxen and horses. The feeding trough was worn and glossy with all the rubbing of hungry animal mouths eating away after a long day of work. The history of the place was obvious and contagious from the start.

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Outside, we wondered around a forgotten garden that the real estate lady told us was the talk of the town in times gone by. Apparently prize winning vegetables were toiled from this earth, and the deceased owner's green thumb was something of a legend. The earth was hard and dry, the trees over grown, and no flowers or lawn had survived the neglect.
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It's perfect, we decided! An offer was made and within a few months the journey of "The Stables" began.

​Welcome to a blog about the history and creation of our serene guest house, moulded from old stables that have morphed into many things, before becoming a beautiful rural retreat.

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www.thestableporterville.co.za

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