Lord Carnarvon Guesthouse | 7 Grey St, Carnarvon 8925, Northern Cape

Frans Carel Te Water built his beautiful Karoo house in 1886 soon after the corner stone of the Dutch Reformed Church was laid in 1880. In typical Victorian style this house was the biggest in the street and porcelain fittings was used at the doors to enhanced his individual taste. With the officers mess as neighbours during Anglo Boor War some of them were friends with the house second owner Colonel Carel J van Zyl who fought against the Boors and received an OBE from Queen Victoria. Th eccentric van Zyl lived in this house for more than forty years and was the local attorney and mayor of the town and always wearing full military clothing including medals and described by one of the locals as 'very reserved'. By restoring this house we wanted to celebrate the life's of the people that played a role in the history of this house by keeping their legacy alive. The house has been restored to its former glory , with a mixture of modern facilities and Karoo antiques, and has lots of character and evokes memories