Thomas River Historical Village

The Thomas River Historical Village is situated between Stutterheim and Cathcart on the N6 highway, which links East London with the inland city of Bloemfontein. The village is set in an area of exceptional natural beauty, and lies within the centre of the 31,000 ha Thomas River Conservancy, on the sunny northern slopes of the Amathole Mountain Range. The conservancy offers a variety of outdoor activities which include hunting, hiking, rock art talks and guided rock art walks, fishing, paintballing, birding. The village dates back to the late 1870's.

The Thomas River area was named after an English deserter Thomas Bentley in 1801. Bentley was a member of the Van Der Kemps Missionary, and was killed by a poison Bushman arrow while trying to cross the river. The original Thomas River railway station, which lies between the the stone forts, dates back to the late 1870's, and was replaced by the new station in 1926. The station saw its last train in 1948 when the new line opened.

The Thomas River Historical Village has been extensively restored by Jeff and Ann Sansom, and was opened in 2003. The village which provides visitors with an interesting glimpse into the area's past, consists of a Private Library, Wagon Museum, Rock Art Museum, Pub Museum and Vintage Motor Museum. A popular attraction of the Thomas River Historical Village, is the Ramble Restaurant, which offers visitors a choice of dining in two areas, namely the the family Museum Pub and the Historic Dining Hall.

Serving as a popular venue for weddings and functions, the fully licensed Ramble Restaurant offers patrons a variety of menus to suit each occasion and budget. Medium-sized weddings, private functions, business functions and small conferences can all be held in the Historic Dining Hall. The beautiful stone church, built in 1888, provides an ideal country setting for wedding ceremonies and christenings.

Telephone: +27 (0)45 8431504
Facsimile: +27 086 6573148
Mobile Number: +27 (0)72 0706132
Email: michelle@oldthomasriver.co.za