
The Rosendal Bank
The Bank is a historic home with charm, character and unique detail located in Rosendal and it use to be the town’s former Barclays Bank.
This property can accommodate up to 6 guests at a time and comprises 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. The main bedroom is furnished with a double bed and also features an in-room claw-foot bathtub, washbasin, toilet and fireplace. The second bedroom and third bedrooms, which is in a loft, are each furnished with a double bed and are situated in a thatched-roof cottage in the garden that also includes a bathroom fitted with a bath. All linen and bath towels are provided.
The main living area features a lounge, a dining room and a kitchen that is fully equipped with a gas stove, electric oven, microwave, fridge-freezer, cutlery and crockery as well as tea- and coffee-making facilities. The dining room has a large bookshelf for entertainment and a fireplace to keep warm. The cosy lounge has comfortable seating as well as a fireplace.
Outside is a covered patio with a table and chairs for outdoor dining. Secure parking and braai facilities are also available.
History of the old bank
Built in 1911, this is one of Rosendal’s first buildings and is a fine example of eastern Free State sandstone construction with thick walls, high ceilings and handsome colonnade. It has been a bank, an attorney’s office and a store. Originally this was an attorney’s office for Dan P. Van der Merwe, Rosendal’s first mayor. Later, in the 1930s, it became a Barclays Bank.
The banking hall and walk-in safe were located in the main room—now the living room—and with a manager’s office where the master bedroom is now. As Rosendal declined, the bank was opened two days a week, with staff driving up from Ficksburg. In the mid 1980s it was closed as a bank and went through a variety of uses before becoming a private home and guest house.