Portland’s history is intertwined with South Africa’s first European settlers. In 1652 the first European settlement was established by the Dutch East India Company in Table Bay, Cape Town. To both survive and thrive, these settlers needed an on-going supply of timber to construct buildings, furniture, wagons, tools, and to use as a fuel source.

The small forests scattered over the slopes of Table Mountain served as one of their first sources of timber. Unfortunately, these forests were quickly depleted. Timber was then imported from Mauritius, but after that supply line ran dry, the settlers were forced to search for timber in other inland areas located to the east and west of the Western Cape.

Knysna’s development began after its lush forests were discovered in the Garden Route area. The surrounding mountains ensured lots of rainfall, the timber supply seemed inexhaustible, nearby beaches made ocean transport possible, rivers and lagoons teemed with fish, and local wildlife was in abundance. Knysna’s boundless potential could not be ignored.

In 1774, Stephanus Terblanche’s younger brother, Salomon Terblanche, acquired a farm to the northwest of the estuary, called Leeuwenbosch.

• In 1819, George Rex bought a portion of Leeuwenbosch (De Poort) from Salomon and renamed it Portland. He eventually owned all the farms along the Knysna Estuary and beyond, namely: Melkhoutkraal; Eastford; Westford; Uitzigt; Leeuwenbosch and Springfield. He effectively owned the whole of the Knysna River basin, measuring some 25,000 acres.

After George Rex’s death in 1839, his properties were put up for sale under the terms of his will.

In 1842, Henry Barrington, 12th son of the 5th Viscount Barrington, arrived in the Cape and went to Knysna. He brought lavish household items from England, which included a grand piano and a chandelier, and was on the lookout for the perfect home in which to place them. He purchased the Portland farm from Thomas Henry Duthie and set out to transform the estate into a “very perfect place”.

Unfortunately, Henry Barrington’s joy in accomplishing this momentous feat was short-lived after the Great Fire of 1869 left his house in ruins. Henry spared no time rebuilding the house, but he had lost everthing and the new house was not nearly as grand as the original one. Reconstruction started the following year and the family home, named Portland Manor, still stands today. Barrington’s dedication to revolutionising Portland was unwavering. Along with his newly built home, he also constructed a dam on the estate with a sawmill. Beekeeping and the planting of mulberry trees and apple orchards were at the order of the day. Henry’s other endeavours on the estate included cheese and breadmaking, growing tobacco and barley, and farming livestock. He also campaigned for the Seven Passes Road to link Knysna and George which he believed, quite rightly, would open the markets for all their produce. Sadly, this project was only finalized after his death. Henry played a very significant role in turning Portland Manor into the awe-inspiring property that it is today.

The San Ambroso chapel still standing in Gouna was eventually built in commemoration of the Italian silk farmers by Rev Rooney in 1891 – ten years after they arrived. The chapel is located only 30 km from Portland Manor and is well worth the drive.

Henry Barrington’s interest in silk production and mulberry trees as food plants also led to him being featured in renowned South African author Dalene Matthee’s 1987 novel, Moerbeibos. In the novel, Dalene recounts the story of the Italian silk spinners of Gouna. Her book, although fictional, was based on real events and references the group of Italian silk farmers who were brought to Knysna to farm with silkworms and start up a silk spinning industry.