The siting of the Clumber Church was central to the Nottingham Party of 1820, the area where this Party from Nottinghamshire, England, settled. They formed a part of some 3800 persons, known as the 1820 Settlers, the majority of whom settled in the area between what is now known as Port Elizabeth and the Great Fish River, the Eastern border of the Cape Colony; a region known as the Zuurveld.
The Clumber Church stands atop a knoll, named Mount Mercy by the Nottingham Party . They held a Service of Thanksgiving here on their arrival in 1820 after a journey of nearly 7 months to the Cape Colony. It is the third Church the 1820 Settlers and their descendants built at this spot, and was opened on 10 November 1867. Still in use today with a Service held on the fourth Sunday of the month at 11h00, the Clumber Church faces difficult times due to the depopulation of the countryside. Once a thriving social gathering place, it boasted a school, teachers’ home, manse, a hall used for social occasions as well as Sunday School teaching, a cricket field, tennis courts and clubhouse. Now all that remains is the Church opened in 1867, and the school building; dating from 1905. Both the School and the Church were declared National Monuments on 23 November 1980.
Clumber Church will be holding a Praise and Worship Service on Sunday 28 December at 9 am followed by a tea and some eats. An interdenominational Service where all are welcome. This is a first for Clumber Church which normally closes its doors in December due to the holiday period when most take their holidays at the coast
Visit this historic Church, built in 1867 and its graveyard holding many graves of 1820 Settlers.
Future services for 2016 are held on the 4th Sunday of every month at 11am