The reference books mention that a Huguenot named Jean Gardiol was granted the farm La Cotte in 1694. At the moment there is no consensus as to when the water-mill was built, but it was mentioned in a transfer in 1832. The compass-arm spokes suggest late 1700s, Fransen and Cook suggest early 1800s. Arthur Elliott photographed it in about 1915, and although Walton states it was in working order then, studying the photo, I somehow have my doubts.
We have also more recently found this photo, held by the Franschhoek Museum, marked 'Before 1905'. What the significance is of that particular date is unclear, but the Mill is certainly in working order at that stage. A child can be seen in the foreground. The control lever is present, and the flap in the Launder is closed so the water is passing to the end and falling unused into the Tail-race.
Deon also understands the whole water system of the valley, including a fascinating story of land-owners named Hugo supplying provisions to troops of the Cape African Rifles who were stationed at the top of Franschhoek Pass, and persuading them to dig a channel for water from the other side of the watershed to supply Franschhoek with water. This was subsequently denied for a while, but members of the Hugo family took the case to the Privy Council in England and won the case.
The logo of La Cotte is an acorn. Behind the Mill is the remains, fenced off, of an Oak tree. Here is a quote written by Herman Labuschagne, found on the History of Franschhoek Facebook page:
In 1688 a ship full of Huguenot religious refugees sailed for South Africa. Aboard that ship was a young man by the name of Jean Gardiol. According to legend, he brought with him 6 acorns from the land of his birth. He planted these small reminders of his beloved France at a farm named La Cotte, near Franschhoek. Of these acorns, one grew into a mighty tree. Possibly the oldest oak in Africa, it eventually died when it was blown over by a storm. Before it died, however, it was used to replant a forest that was entirely destroyed in France. The story of this forest was a most unusual one.
During the Battle of the Somme in 1916, the 1st South African Infantry Brigade was practically wiped out in what was probably the bloodiest battle of an offensive that was bloodier than any other fought in World War I. 3,000 South Africans had to fight over 7,000 Germans for four long days. (More accurate history reads: The Brigade was relieved on 20 July after six days and five nights of ferocious fighting). When it was over, only 20% of them returned. Around them it looked like the surface of the moon. Of the entire forest that was once was Delville Wood, only one single tree survived. It was a hornbeam tree. Not one single oak or any other tree survived the deadly rain of artillery fire that fell upon the small forest and its defenders for days on end.
When General Jan Smuts and others took the initiative to replant Delville Wood, the Huguenot tree at La Cotte was used to supply the stock. A tree that was borne by a son of France who had been expelled by his mother country as being an unwanted child, was the tree they chose to replenish the trees after France had lost all her own young oaks.
The children of the Huguenot tree grow there to this day, becoming mightier with each passing year as they guard the long rows of graves of South African soldiers, many of whom still carried the genes of the original Huguenots from France.
There is now possibly a chance of dating the Axle-tree of the water-wheel by dendrochronology, because we've had to cut some of it off. However, I'm getting ahead of myself! My connection with this Mill was through Franschhoek valley resident Dawie De Villiers and his friend Professor Izak Rust. Prof Izak is interested in the cultivation of the Fan Aloe, Kumara plicatilis, native to this valley. He had permission to collect seeds from two large specimens next to the Mill, and as they knew I was interested in Mills after they had visited Compagnes Drift Mill, which I was restoring then, Dawie invited me along. That was on 15th January 2010.
We found as expected a water-wheel and the outer part of an Axle-tree visible from the outside.
We couldn't gain access to the ground floor of the building, but the attic was open. There we found items of a Mill, a tun, hopper, pit-wheel, and the remains of badly worm-eaten hurstings and water-wheel, clearly from another Mill.
I gave it no more thought until September 2018 when through another Compagnes Drift visitor, Chris Forsdyke, I was contacted by Bruce Gatland who was busy with the development of the property, now under new ownership. I took similar photos. Nothing came of that except that I knew the brother and sister of the new owner.
It was in August 2021 that contact was made again, another Franschhoek valley resident and fellow Tractor & Engine Club member, Andrew Schmidt introduced me to the current manager of La Cotte, now an operating hotel/restaurant and housing complex, Mark Dendy Young. He asked for an estimate to restore the Mill, and as a start, I removed the very worn Gudgeon from the outer end of the Axle-tree to get a quote on a replacement.
The farm staff made the supporting framework under the Axle-tree while I removed the very rusted parts. Another year passed before I heard from Mark again, this time the news was positive, the owners wished to upgrade the building, restore the Mill and establish a coffee shop in it.
Fresh quotes were made, using mostly Jon Stevens from Floorscape in Maitland who had proved himself by making a superb Cap-frame for Mostert's Mill, which we are busy restoring after a devastating fire.
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