Milnerton's Places of Worship

After the Dutch Reformed Church had purchased a site in Ysterplaat for the erection of a church in 1904, the Roman Catholics and Anglicans also submitted requests to the Board of Milnerton Estates. 

St Oswald's Anglican Church

The Anglicans acquired a plot in Jansen Road, “adjoining Mr Greig’s Grocery Store”, on which it was in December 1907 “proposed to erect a small hall, in which to hold Sunday School and an occasional Service”. To the credit of the Board, Milnerton Estates agreed to make over the land free of charge. It was the Anglicans, therefore, in 1912, who were the first to build a church in Milnerton, on the corner of what became known as Park Avenue and Jansen Road. It was named for St Oswald, an English saint.

The original St Oswald's Church (painting by Winnie McPherson)

The church was capable of accommodating about 80 congregants and was consecrated in 1913. At first, St. Oswald’s was an outstation of St. Anne’s Maitland, and Revd O. J. Hogarth conducted services. In 1955, St. Oswald’s became a parish, extending from Brooklyn to Bloubergstrand, and including the chaplaincies of St Francis, Brooklyn, and the Brooklyn Chest Hospital. Also in 1955, the brick church was built on the corner of Park Avenue and Indwe Road, next to the old wooden one, which thereafter became the church hall. I attended Sunday School and Cub Scouts there and distinctly remember the distinctive combined aromas of creosote and honey (a swarm of bees had built their hive under the eaves).

St Oswald's Church c.1965, with the original church in the background

After the morning service c.1965. I am the server on the far right, with my younger brother Andy in front of me. My late father, Revd Tom Winter, is at the centre back.

The diocese bought a house on the corner of Park Avenue and Hawston Road to serve as a Rectory for the first rector, Revd Foster van der Byl. To date, there have been 28 rectors, but my dad (the fifth) remains by far the longest-serving. It was during our time in the parish, in 1966, that funds were raised to build an impressive new hall. Sadly, the original church had to be demolished to make way for it.  Pantomimes and farces were produced in the new hall, involving virtually every parishioner, from the youngest to the eldest, and on Friday nights, it was packed with teenagers dancing to live bands, much to the neighbours' annoyance! 

The brick church has twice been extended to cater for the growth of the parish: during the early 1970s to accommodate 125 congregants; and in 1998 to accommodate about 300 congregants.

The new hall under construction in 1966.

Sonnekus NGK

In 1904, the Dutch Reformed Church purchased a site in Da Gama Street, Ysterplaat for the erection of a place of worship. For many years, this church served the communities of Brooklyn, Rugby, Milnerton and Blouberg, as well as farms along the old Malmesbury Road.

On 1 December 1947, the Ysterplaat NGK decided to establish a congregation in Milnerton, having obtained permission to hold services in the Town Hall. The new congregation received a few hundred pounds, eight plots in Milnerton for the construction of a church and pastorie, as well as the church that had been built in Bloubergstrand and a plot for a future pastorie there.

Ds. J.J. van N. Fourie served as the first dominie of the Milnerton congregation. The church in Ysterplaat generously made one of its pastorieë available until the new congregation could provide one itself. Despite the financial challenges of the post-war period, the new Milnerton pastorie was consecrated on 25 June 1949.

Ds. J.J. van N. Fourie

The congregation, though grateful for the use of the Town Hall in Jansen Road, was keen to have a dedicated sacred place of worship, so an ambitious fund-raising campaign was launched. Within two years, the church council was able to accept the tender of one of the parishioners, Mr J. Holtzhausen, for the building of a church. The cornerstone was laid on 28 April 1951. The church is situated in Ceres Road.

Naming the church proved problematic as the congregation would not hear of its being given the name of the suburb. Lord Alfred Milner, the former British Governor at the Cape, was an unpopular man in the Afrikaner community. Eventually, they settled on the name Sonnekus (Sunny Coast), based on the name of Sir David de Villiers Graaff's magnificent home, Zonnekus, on what is now called Woodbridge Island.

Sonnekus NGK

In 1961, I and my schoolmates attended a service in this church as part of the festivities to celebrate South Africa’s becoming a Republic. I found it strange singing well-known hymns in Afrikaans. I also found it odd that the pulpit was in the centre of the church and that there was no altar. Until then, I had had no idea that the Reformed churches worship differently from the Anglicans.

The Roman Catholic Churches

The Roman Catholics eventually built their church, named Our Lady of the Assumption, on Koeberg Road, Brooklyn. It opened in 1950, was blessed in 1956, and was consecrated in 2000.

Milnerton acquired its first Roman Catholic Church, Our Lady of the Annunciation, in 1982. It is situated in Barrow Road, with the presbytery at 11 Breezand Road.

As the community grew, so more denominations established churches in Milnerton. They include: 

Assembly of God

This is situated in Wood Drive, Milnerton.

Baptist Church

This is situated at 185 Pringle Road, Sanddrift.

Joshua Generation Church

This is situated in Pienaar Road, Milnerton.

Methodist Church

This is situated on the corner of Ascot and Erica Roads, Milnerton.

Presbyterian Church

This is situated in Glanville Road, Tijgerhof.

View Church

This is situated in the Milpark Building, Jasmin Road, Milnerton.

Milnerton has no synagogues or mosques serving Jewish and Muslim worshippers, respectively. However, there are community centres for adherents of these faiths.

The Hebrew Congregation of Milnerton

Founded in 1979, the Milnerton Hebrew Congregation's shul is the centre of Jewish community life in the greater Milnerton area. It is situated in Nieuhof Road, Tijgerhof.

The Muslim Masjid

This is situated on the corner of Kings Road and Van Riebeeck Street, Paarden Island.