A Legacy of Faith: The History of Knysna Methodist Church
The Methodist presence in Knysna began in the 1880s, not in the town itself, but high up in the nearby mountains at Millwood, where gold fever had taken hold. By 1888, official records of the Wesleyan Methodist Church of South Africa referenced a Circuit known as “Knysna and Millwood (English)”, with Rev. C. Stuart Franklin as its minister. Based in Millwood, he also traveled to serve the growing communities of Mossel Bay, George, and Oudtshoorn, which at the time had no ministers of their own. A humble wood-and-iron church provided a place of worship for the Methodist mining community.
Millwood flourished briefly, with six hotels and three newspapers, but as fortune-seekers were drawn to greater gold prospects in the Transvaal, the town quickly declined. With fewer people remaining, Rev. Franklin shifted his focus to Knysna, where a small Methodist gathering had already been taking place. His weekly visits, however, were no small feat—a 25-kilometre journey on poor roads, down Phantom Pass and through dense, elephant-inhabited forests.
In 1891, a church site was generously gifted in Montagu Street, and by July 1892, a building committee was appointed to oversee the construction of a new church. The 1893 Conference Minutes recorded official permission to build at a cost of ₤500. Work began in May 1893, and later that year, under the ministry of Rev. Frederick Holmes, the Knysna Methodist Church was officially opened. Designed in a Gothic architectural style by Mr. A. Hepburn, the church featured yellowwood pews and pulpit, the latter crafted and donated by Mr. K. Willis. The grand opening took place on 29 October 1893, with Rev. Richard P. Underwood leading the dedication prayer and Rev. Wilson Thompson delivering the inaugural sermon.
With Millwood all but abandoned, its wood-and-iron church was dismantled in 1894 and relocated behind the newly built church in Montagu Street, serving as both a vestry and a hall. In 1939, when the Wesley Hall was constructed, the old structure was once again moved—this time up the hill to Concordia, where it became a place of worship for Xhosa-speaking Methodists. Over time, the Knysna church was expanded, including the addition of a vestry during the ministry of Rev. N.P. Abraham.
As Methodist work in Knysna continued to grow, the original circuit split into two: “Knysna” and “Concordia,” both served by one minister based in Knysna. With time, a second minister was stationed in Plettenberg Bay, and later a third was appointed to minister to the Xhosa-speaking Societies. In 1985, these circuits merged to form the “Garden Route Circuit,” bringing together the congregations of Knysna, Concordia, Khayalethu, Hornlee, Plettenberg Bay, and KwaNokuthula, along with several other preaching locations.
Today, Knysna Methodist Church stands as a testament to over a century of faith, service, and community. From its humble beginnings in the goldfields to its continued presence along the Garden Route, it remains a place where all are welcome to gather, worship, and grow together in faith.
Want to get in touch? Please feel free to call us on 076 905 0964 or email us at admin@knysnamethodist.org