The Cock House

Grahamstown Eastern Cape - South Africa

Email The Cock House Reservations: booksa@madbookings.com

You can while away an afternoon browsing through the library before pre-dinner drinks in the cosy pub.

The gracious Norden's Restaurant, with yellowwood floor and period style decor, is the perfect setting for a memorable meal. Complete your evening with coffee and liqueurs in the elegant drawing room, where the log fire is lit on winter evenings.

The Cock House Accommodation

Each of the nine double guest rooms is individual and special, whether located in the main house or in the converted stables.
They are named after previous owners of the house - Norden, Atherstone, Webber, Brink and so on. All have bath and/or shower, hairdryer, TV with selected DSTV channels, telephone and tea/coffee facilities with homemade biscuits.

Two rooms are family suites sleeping four while the Brink room and Long room boast magnificent four-poster beds.
The Cock House now offers self-catering accommodation in four luxury two-bedroom apartments next door to the main house. Wheelchair access is available in this new development.

Each of the nine double guest rooms is individual and special, whether located in the main house or in the converted stables.
They are named after previous owners of the house - Norden, Atherstone, Webber, Brink and so on.
All have bath and/or shower, hairdryer, TV with selected DSTV channels, telephone and tea/coffee facilities with homemade biscuits.

Norden's Restaurant:
Cooking at Norden's follows traditional lines and makes full use of seasonal ingredients and local produce. Home-baked wholemeal bread, stocks and plenty of herbs from the garden to flavour soups and sauces, and after-dinner rum chocolate truffles.
The innovative menu combines the best of South African and international influences and is superbly complimented by the excellent wine selection.

In the former kitchen, now the Breakfast Room, which still boasts the original “Welcome Dover” stove, you can enjoy the magnificent breakfast spread of freshly baked muffins, homemade muesli, fresh fruit and fruit juices as well as the traditional cooked breakfast.
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily except Monday lunch.

Activities:
The Cock House is ideally situated for exploring historic Grahamstown, South Africa's Festival Capital hosting the annual National Arts Festival and Sci Fest. The city boasts beautiful Victorian architecture, the unique Observatory Museum, Rhodes University and several prominent schools.

We can book the following:
- Walking tours of Grahamstown
- City and township tours
- Game drive tours (e.g. Addo, Kariega, Pumba)
- Frontier Country tour.
- Map for self-drive tour to Port Alfred, Kenton, Salem and back to Grahamstown.
- Golf at Grahamstown, Port Alfred and Fish River Sun

Attractions:
The Observatory Museum:
Experience Grahamstown “through the looking glass”, a unique bird’s eye view of our city and the only working Victorian Camera Obscura in the southern hemisphere.
This is also where the beginnings of South Africa’s diamond industry is documented with the authentication here in 1867 of the famous Eureka diamond.
Other museums include the Albany Museum, the History Museum and the JLB Smith Institute. Situated only 60km from the beaches of Port Alfred, Kenton on Sea and Bushmans River and in close proximity to numerous game reserves, Grahamstown is ideally situated to explore the Sunshine Coast and Country.

Named after the Hon. William Cock, an enterprising 1820 Settler who created Port Alfred harbour, the house was built in 1826 by another settler, Benjamin Norden. Dr John Atherstone lived here as did, more recently, the famous South African author, Andre Brink.
Since opening in 1991, many guests have returned to the convivial atmosphere of The Cock House, including our most famous guest of all, Mr Nelson Mandela, on three occasions.

The Cock House Changes Hands
Richard Anker-Simmons, pictured here with former owner Belinda Tudge, manager Jean-Louis Fourie and two staff members, is the delighted new owner of this landmark guest house and restaurant in Grahamstown. Richard hails from Hoedspruit and this will be his first venture into the hospitality trade.

He visited The Cock House in 2005 and fell in love with the ambience and history of the historic building, much as Belinda and her late husband, Peter, did 15 years ago.
Management and staff of The Cock House remains largely unchanged. Richard is keen not to change the essence of what has become a very successful and well-known leader in the hospitality trade, both nationally and internationally.

Email The Cock House Reservations: booksa@madbookings.com