Designed as a companion publication to the successful 101 Country Churches, which Darryl Earl David and Philippe Menache produced in 2010, this 132-page A4, soft cover, full-colour book is packed with information on 102 churches across South Africa’s nine provinces. However, their new book, with foreword by Gabriel Fagan, offers much more than the first.
Excellently compiled and beautifully illustrated it includes a series of photographs of each church as well as interesting interior details such as pulpits, organs, galleries and some exquisite stained-glass windows. Many are quite stunning. In addition, the new book includes more historic detail and covers the role of each church in the community it serves and its relationship to the town or village where it is located.
The book does not cover only Dutch Reformed edifices, most of which are extremely beautiful and many of which are based on European cathedrals, it includes Anglican, Methodist, Lutheran, Baptist, Catholic and Mission churches, as well as some picturesque school chapels. There are also snippets on alternative religious communities, such as Buddhists, who have temples in the vicinity of some hinterland towns.
A full-colour, numbered map aids the reader in establishing exactly where each church is. The text includes invaluable information on the ideal times to visit and the best ways to photograph each building. Then, there is a four-page section with potted-pen details of the architects, among whom are some of SA’s best-known church designers.
Darryl, who is closely associated with the tiny Karoo town of Richmond, and a founder of its Book Town Festival, said: “Soon after I discovered the Karoo, I became aware of an unusual brand of tourism – church tourism. The magnificent churches of the hinterland captivate many and some enjoy photographing these buildings. This led to our first book. As soon as it reached the shelves, we knew we had to expand on it.” A Platteland Pilgrimage took a year to write. “We enjoyed every step of this ‘pilgrimage’ even though it was tough at times,” says Philippe. “We are convinced that we have a great offering here.”
The book, ISBN 978-0-620-54170-1, costs R250, plus R25 for postage. Contact Darryl (cowboys@sai.co.za) or Philippe (Philippe.menache@gmail.com) to order.
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- 10 things to Do in the Klein Karoo
(Review by Rose