The old Toll House and Montagu Pass
The old toll house is situated near the foot of the Montagu Pass, approximately two kilometres from the modern Outeniqua Pass which serves as the main road to Oudtshoorn.
The magisterial district of George, named after King George III of England was proclaimed in 1811 and became a municipality in 1837.
In 1812, Adriaanus van Kervel, the first Landrost of George managed to persuade the Governor of the Cape, Sir John Cradock, to build the steep and dangerous Cradock Pass which became the shortest gateway to George from the hinterland for transporters to collect timber from this region and take back up north.
Another pass, the Montagu Pass (built between 1844 and 1847) was a great improvement and provided quicker access to George for farmers from the Little Karoo and Langkloof. Initially a Mr HO Farrel was contracted to build the pass with 250 convicts but he abandoned the project which was taken over by Henry Fancourt, a qualified Australian land surveyor and engineer who completed the pass.
This pass was named after John Montagu (Colonial Secretary in 1843) who was instrumental in providing better road systems throughout the Cape Colony.
The old toll house was erected to provide accommodation for the toll keeper and his family. It is relatively small (external measurements with a 700mm thick walls being 16,3m long x 6m wide) if one considers the size of families in those days.
Indigenous sandstone was used and it originally had a thatched roof, but unfortunately the thatch was destroyed by a fire on 23 July 1855 and was replaced with corrugated iron. The shape of the building has been described to be that of a coffin.
The wall at the roadside has four corners making up two angled side walls and the central entrance wall which was shaped in this way to enable the toll keeper to see the oncoming traffic from both sides. The stones were not packed to form the corners, but large sandstone blocks were hewn to the required angles. The eight paned windows were shuttered and the outline of a gable window, which was closed up later, can still be seen today.
The Montagu Pass and the stone walled toll house were constructed at the same time and animals, carts and wagons had to pay a toll. A penny for an animal (the amount depended on the size of the animal) and a penny per wheel was charged to farmers, transporters and postal carts who travelled back and forth from the hinterland.
Wagons and carts using the rough and steep Montagu Pass regularly suffered breakages; hence the establishments on an old blacksmith’s workshop further up the pass. Unfortunately, the stone structure was carried away piece by piece and there is no visible sign of the old smithy today.
Repetition of the wanton destruction of remnants of our history has fortunately been prevented in the case of the old toll house because of the actions a few private individuals who have worked tirelessly to save this old icon over many years.
The stone structure has deteriorated badly over the years through weathering by the elements. Due to its remote location much damage was cause to the interior by vagrants who regularly broke down the shuttered doors to seek shelter and ripped the timber floor boards to make fire.
Later thieves used a chain saw to remove the solid yellow wood beams and three internal doors were removed. The Friends of the Toll House clamped burglar proofing to the stone walls, covering five windows and two doors during 2011, but even this did not stop a timber thief to cut away a steel bar and rip up the remaining Oregon pine flooring.
Mission Statement:
To restore the Old Toll House on the Montagu Pass, develop a museum, tourist destiny and activity center depicting the history of the southern Cape.
Contact: Gerda Stols – 083 772 8252
Donations: ABSA (Branch 432005) Account: 925 2930 880
Montagu Pass:
The Old Toll House: