Beaufort West Reformed Church, Reformed church in Beaufort West, South Africa.
Beaufort West Reformed Church is the Dutch Reformed congregation founded on 16 May 1820, the ninth oldest in the Synod of Western and Southern Cape and the twelfth oldest in the whole church. From it six daughter congregations seceded: Prince Albert (1842), Victoria West (1843), Fraserburg (1851), Carnarvon (1874), and Gamka Valley and Gamka-Oos on Beaufort West itself on 22 June 1949. Its ministers have included Colin Fraser (1825–1862) and Japie van Straaten, in office since 1998.
The congregation was founded on 16 May 1820, the ninth oldest of the Dutch Reformed Church in the Synod of Western and Southern Cape and the twelfth oldest in the whole Church. Its founding date is traditionally given as 1819, the year Somerset-Wes was established. Six daughter congregations seceded from it: Prince Albert (1842), Victoria West (1843), Fraserburg (1851), Carnarvon (1874), and Gamka Valley and Gamka-Oos on Beaufort West itself on 22 June 1949.
The congregation was founded on 16 May 1820 and is the ninth oldest of the Dutch Reformed Church in the Synod of Western and Southern Cape. Six daughter congregations seceded from it: Prince Albert (1842), Victoria West (1843), Fraserburg (1851), Carnarvon (1874), and Gamka Valley and Gamka-Oos (1949). Ministers have served it since John Taylor (1818–1824); Japie van Straaten has been in office since 1998.
The church sits in the town center on Kerk Street and is easily reached on foot from most locations. Visitors can explore the interior during opening hours or view the exterior architecture at any time.
The sources record no Scottish architect or Karoo materials for this church. What they do document is the congregation's reach: from Beaufort West six daughter congregations seceded, including Gamkavallei and Gamka-Oos, both cut from the mother parish on 22 June 1949. The town itself was first called Beaufort, gaining the "-Wes" only in 1869 to distinguish it from Port Beaufort and Fort Beaufort.
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