By Myrtle Ryan
Durban - Those who once worshipped at St Andrew’s Anglican Church, on the road between Mooi River and Giants Castle, would no doubt stand rooted in awe at its transformation.
That is exactly how I felt when Rudi Ngubane opened the heavy wooden door leading into the lower bell tower, and led me into the interior of St Andrew’s Retreat, as it is now known.
Owners Paul and Jennifer Hindle, of Indigo Fields Country House and Spa near Nottingham Road, have appointed Ngubane as custodian of St Andrew’s, and he clearly reveres the place.
Carefully placed lighting bathes everything in a gentle glow. In the sanctuary, where the altar once stood, stands a couch, draped in rich red velvet, along with a couple of wooden chairs with brocade striped cushions. The altar rail is still in place. In front of it stands a long dining-room table, with two ornate candles.
These were the first things to catch my eye, as I reflected on how tastefully Paul and Jennifer have converted the over 100-year-old St Andrew’s – clearly with great love and veneration – into a self-catering outlet. It could have been tacky, instead it is exquisite. Some people apparently shed a tear when they first step inside.
A tug on the bellrope, and the church bell peals out clear, sweet chimes.
Two downstairs en-suite bedroooms occupy the entrance portal, as well as part of the nave (the main body of the church).
The main upstairs bedroom, bathed in natural light through the skylights let in the roof, looks down into the rest of the nave. It has a magnificent chandelier, while a vibrant tapestry hangs on the wall dividing the sleeping area from the luxurious bathroom.
The bathroom has large, pointed windows looking out over the surrounding fields, while tendrils of the ivy, which cover this side of the church, can also be seen.
St Andrew’s echoes the design of a church built in Kent, England – the birthplace of Percy Simmons, a prominent farmer in the area, who was a central character in its construction.
Consecrated in 1906 by the Right Reverend Frederick Samuel Baines, Bishop of Natal, the church was built to serve the Anglican farmers west of Mooi River, and those at the nearby Weenen County College.
The rose window in the sanctuary above the altar was erected in memory of Ernest Alfred Thompson (who was closely associated with the building of the church), the headmaster of Weenen County College, who died in 1932, and his wife Katharine.
Other stained-glass windows depict St Andrew (dedicated to Percy D Simmons, the first church warden who died in 1913); St Peter, St James, and St John.
Visitors learn that Rev SHR Nobel was vicar from 1906-1924 while a plaque, hanging on a wall, lists the names of those who fell during the First World War of 1914-1918. This was erected by former pupils of Bishopsdene, Weston College in Mooi River, and Weenen County College.
An ultra-modern kitchen, with every amenity the self-caterer could wish, for is reached through an arch.
The kitchen looks out over the graveyard, which is still in use on an adjoining private piece of land.
An old stone font and pulpit still stand; the original church doors are still in place; and at night wooden shutters can be closed over of all the stained glass windows, to provide privacy.
For their part, Paul and Jennifer say: “We stand humbly before those who funded and built St Andrew’s stone by stone. They crafted arched ceilings and stained glass windows of incomparable beauty, to raise up from the ground a formidable building that can hold its own in the foothills of the giant.”
The couple say they have come to love the church just as the families and clergy of old must have done, until its beautiful wooden gothic doors were finally locked and, are delighted that they have been able to turn the key to reveal its restored glory.
The giant of Giant’s Castle can be seen in the distance, while horses, tails flicking, in a nearby field, add to the charm.
I chose one of the smaller rooms downstairs, feeling this would best embody the experience of sleeping in a church. Switching off the lights, and blowing out the candle, I expected total darkness. Instead pale green and pink light suffused the ceiling – caused by the light of the outside spotlights catching the stained-glass windows.
Early in the morning, I climbed the stairs to the main bedroom and gazed down into the nave. A shaft of pale sunlight filtered through the rose window. It was quite ethereal, and I left with my soul feeling enriched.
l Contact: 033 266 6101; 083 376 0150; www.standrewsretreat.co.za - Sunday Tribune