Harfield Village, Cape Town

Nestled between the neighbouring boundaries of Kenilworth and Claremont, lies the quaint, Chelsea-esque suburb of Harfield Village, with its semi-detached Edwardian and Victorian cottages decorating the tree-lined avenues and English-styled street names like Norfolk and Surrey only adding to the homely, village appeal of the area. The popular suburb is centrally-situated adjacent to the Harfield train station, just down the road from the Cavendish Square Shopping Centre and only a 5km drive to the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and the Newlands rugby and cricket stadiums. In testimony to its village appeal, Harfield Village holds an annual carnival that runs along 2nd Avenue, bringing the area to life with arts, crafts, entertainment and even a series of jazz bands; It is no surprise that properties in this beautiful suburb are well sought-after by locals and visitors alike.

Brief History of the Area:

The story of Harfield Village begins in 1814, where the entire Naval establishment at the Cape had been transferred by the British to Simonstown and a hard, new road, known as Main Road had been built to connect Simon's Town to Cape Town. The area then began to attract many more residents, particularly British settlers (after the British takeover of the original Dutch colony) who wanted to have ownership of pieces of land, viewing it as a place in the country that would yield successful business opportunities. At what was dubbed the "seventh milestone" along the newly-developed Main Road, a small cluster of cottages and shops became the village of Claremont, taking its name from the nearby estate situated along the left side of the road; The Claremont estate was originally part of the larger Stellenberg farm, which was separated, becoming known as Weltevreden. In 1814 its boundaries were then extended from the present-day Chaucer Road down to Kenilworth Road and from Main Road down to the vicinity of Second Avenue (including "Lower Claremont" better known as the "Claremont flats"). In 1823, British official Francis Dashwood, sold off most of the estate to his colleague Charles Blair, who had named it Claremont, further extending it down to Loch Road in 1825. The rest of the grounds, east of the Harfield railway line, passed through several owners, including a long-time resident and successful copper and wine merchant, Mr Thomas Mathew (affectionately known as 'Father Mathew'). In 1840, Father Mathew built a circular-shaped chapel on the grounds of "Harfield Cottage" dubbed so, due to its proximity to Harfield Village train station and the adjacent Harfield Road, before being purchased and subdivided into what is now known as the Claremont and Harfield Villages in 1881 by John Molteno. Over the years, Harfield Village has seen many changes, including those unfortunately brought about as a result of the Apartheid-era Group Areas Act, but today, residents from different social, religious and racial backgrounds live and work together in harmony, hoping to protect the village's rich, historical environment.

Schools in the Area:

Harfield Village is surrounded by several good public and private schools.

Public schools in the area include:

• Livingstone High School

Livingstone High School is committed to providing a quality education rooted in a strong work ethic that encourages critical thinking, decision making and academic excellence. With a strong Code of Conduct that promotes a diverse, disciplined and safe school environment, Livingstone High School ultimately prepares its learners to become responsible, informed and respectful individuals. 

Private schools in the area include:

• Cedar House High School

Conveniently located along Rosmead Avenue, lies the esteemed Cedar House High School, which offers its pupils an advanced IEB-structured academic curriculum in combination with an enriching environment. The aforementioned allows the school to celebrate the individuality, self-expression and freedom of its students. With a wide range of extracurricular activities on offer and a compulsory social action programme, Cedar House students can confront the trials of modern South Africa with a confident and adaptable attitude. Cedar House High School endeavours to provide young people with an enduring and expansive education that is of life-long value.

Shopping Centres:

Harfield Village is neatly situated in close vicinity to a few surrounding shopping centres, the closest being the Rosmead Avenue Super Spar and Tops at Spar, catering to all your basic shopping and grocery needs. Conveniently positioned, the centre is also adjacent to the Rosmead Avenue Medicross centre and Clicks pharmacy, in case of any medical or health emergencies. For those looking for a larger retail outlet and shopping experience, it is only a mere 2km drive to the popular Cavendish Square Shopping Centre; The award-winning regional mall is renowned for being a premier fashion destination, encircling a total of 180 stores. Offering a balanced mix of individual boutiques, high street chains and chic décor stores that appeal to patrons of all ages, Cavendish Square is a prime retail destination for both residents and visitors alike. Another well-frequented shopping centre in the area would be the recently-revamped Kenilworth Centre, which offers shoppers a valued shopping experience that has progressed to serve the ever-changing needs of its customers. With well-known branded retailers like Checkers, Edgars, Pick 'n Pay and Woolworths, the centre also offers a wide range of speciality stores that include King Cake, Cock & Bull and Fragrance Boutique. The newly-refurbished Food Court now offers an expansive environment, complete with numerous restaurants and eateries, ultimately delivering a dynamic yet sophisticated shopping experience to all of its patrons. 

Distance from Key Points:  

Harfield Village is conveniently situated, giving all of its visitors and residents fast and easy access to many key locations, including the Harfield train station, which allows ease of travel into the Cape Town CBD. Harfield Village is also a short drive (or Uber ride) to the Cape Town International Airport, only 17km away. 

Restaurants/Entertainment: 

Harfield Village is home to a great number of lovely cafés and restaurants, all designed to fill your stomach with their wide variety of delicious cuisine. 2nd Avenue alone is filled with a myriad of restaurants, such as Fat Harry's, a classic beer and burger joint that offers quiz evenings and sports viewing, making it the perfect destination for a boy's night out. Just left of Fat Harry's is the Banana Jam Café, which offers a Caribbean-style menu, a wide array of craft beers and decadent half-priced cocktails served daily between 5 PM - 6 PM, a window of opportunity that is not to be missed. Venturing further down 2nd Avenue will lead you towards Zapata, one of the best Mexican-style restaurants around, as well as the revered Brad's Grill, which lays claim to serving the best steaks in Cape Town, and certainly delivers on that promise.

Special Attractions:

• Oblivion Wine Bar and Restaurant

No stay in Harfield Village would be complete without an evening spent at the famous Oblivion Wine Bar and Restaurant; a trendy, warm, European-style Wine Bar that caters to the needs of its patrons. With a spectacular rooftop garden, board games, open fires and leather couches you can easily unwind with friends over a glass of wine. Oblivion also offers a range of snacks and dinner cuisine from their home-cooked menu as well as several decadent cocktails and shooters.

Harfield Parks:

Within the Harfield Village area, there are a total of 4 beautiful municipal parks (Surrey, Princess, Purley and Hampstead) which are regularly maintained and improved by the Friends of Harfield Parks (FOHP). The FOHP is a community group founded in 2012, who are continually working with Harfield residents and the council by cleaning up graffiti, planting trees and flowers, replacing old or dangerous jungle-gym equipment and otherwise ensuring that all of the parks are clean, friendly and safe.