At the beginning of the 18th century, Governor Willem van der Stel was granted land which he named De Nieuwe Land, which became his country residence. After exchanging hands a few times between government ownership and private ownership, the area was resold in 1826 and has remained in private hands thereafter. Today, Newlands is synonymous with Rugby and Cricket – with the Newlands Rugby stadium, which opened in 1888, being the oldest rugby stadium in South Africa and the second oldest in the world. Located against the eastern slopes of Table Mountains, the area is also known as Cape Town’s ‘green’ suburb, with upmarket, gorgeous homes. The oldest school in the country, South African College School (SACS), is also in the area.
