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San Ambroso chapel in the Knysna forest, Garden Route

11/10/2017

34 Comments

 
San Ambroso chapel in the Knysna forest, Garden Route
By Roxanne Reid
Did you know there’s a pocket of Italian history tucked deep in the forests near Knysna? Take a road trip to the little San Ambroso chapel in the Knysna forest and discover a little known part of South Africa's  Garden Route history.

Up in the cool Gouna Forest, about 10km along a gravel road, you’ll find a lush garden that’s pink with pelargoniums and bottlebrush. Here you’ll hear the call of peacocks and find the little chapel of San Ambroso.
San Ambroso chapel in the Knysna forest, Garden Route
History comes alive
The tiny church has just four pews on either side of a central nave, which leads to a brightly painted fresco on the back wall. Two small rooms off to the sides house photos, documents and other historical info, turning the chapel into a museum.

I’d searched out this church about ten years ago, intrigued because of my own Italian heritage. Now we were back and browsing the photos and documents when a voice boomed through the building. 
San Ambroso chapel in the Knysna forest, Garden Route
It was Rayno Sciocatti, wanting to know if he could help answer any questions. A fourth-generation descendant of the Italian immigrants the chapel was built for, he was born in Knysna and now lives nearby.

He talked about how 32 Italians arrived in 1881 from Northern Italy – three families and a few single men, with names like Fardini, Polonia, Sciocatti and Robbolini. They had been lured by an invitation from English gentleman-farmer Henry Barrington – he of the Rheenendal Road’s lovely Portland Manor, which is a luxury guest house today.
San Ambroso chapel in the Knysna forest, Garden Route
The Italians were spinners and they were under the impression that they’d get land, houses, mulberry trees and a living wage. All they would need, they thought, were their silk worms and their skill as spinners. 

​Things turned out differently.
San Ambroso chapel in the Knysna forest, Garden Route
They arrived at the port of Knysna on the SS Natal and endured what was back then a three-week ox-cart trek to the Gouna Forest, only to find there were no houses waiting for them. More shocking was the discovery that the indigenous mulberry trees (Trimeria grandiflora) that grew here were not the kind that silkworms fed on, and the right kind (Morus alba) wouldn’t grow. They had to turn to working on the roads, as woodcutters and farmers, whatever they could to survive.

The San Ambroso church was built in 1891, ten years after they came to the forest. It was named for San Ambrogio (Ambrose), the patron saint of Milan.
San Ambroso chapel in the Knysna forest, Garden Route
Restoration
Rayno has lived in the area for much of his life. When he sold his farm, his idea was to buy property in Tsitsikamma, but he got wedged at Gouna when he decided to renovate the church that held so many memories for his forefathers.
San Ambroso chapel in the Knysna forest, Garden Route
​He told us that a hippy family had been living in it and had to be evicted. They’d ruined the floor and taken the yellowwood ceiling planks with them. Everything had to be rebuilt and restored. The building alone cost R600 000 to refurbish, not counting the furnishings. The chapel museum opened to the public in 2005.
San Ambroso chapel in the Knysna forest, Garden Route
​I asked Rayno what he thought of the factual accuracy of Dalene Matthee’s true-life story about the Italian immigrants in her book Moerbeibos, or The Mulberry Forest. ‘Not so much,’ he said. ‘She made them out to be poorer than they were, and managed to get some of the names muddled.’ 
San Ambroso chapel in the Knysna forest, Garden Route
Rayno Sciocatti outside the chapel he restored
It’s a fascinating piece of local history and a darling little church that few people know about. We can thank Rayno for restoring it and preserving a touch of Italy in the Knysna forests.

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San Ambroso chapel in the Knysna forest, Garden Route
San Ambroso chapel and its Italian heritage in the Knysna forest, Garden Route, South Africa
34 Comments
Beverly
11/10/2017 03:20:18 pm

What a gem. I have been to Knynsa and travelled along that road and seen the sign but never visited it. Thanks. I wiil definitely go there next time.

Reply
Roxanne
11/10/2017 03:46:33 pm

Ah, you must, Beverly. Such a sweet little church and the photos and documents in the 'museum' part at the back are intriguing.

Reply
Joan Riley
11/10/2017 03:27:16 pm

I love Knynsa and its history.
I have read about te Italian spinners that came to the area but did not know about the church. Looking forward to visiting when next there. You were to lucky to meet Rayno. To relive their history through a descendant makes the experience more real and alive.

Reply
Roxanne
11/10/2017 03:50:42 pm

Now you'll have to go looking for the church, Joan. It's up the Gouna Forest Road, past Simola and then about another 10-13km along the forest road. Ask at the tourism office in the main road if you're not sure.

Yes, you're right, having Rayno to talk to added spice. He's done his own family research too, travelling to Italy to find confirmation documents.

Reply
Andrea Mayfield
15/10/2017 12:32:03 am

Great post with great photos! thank you for sharing!

Reply
Roxanne
15/10/2017 09:36:02 am

You're welcome, Andrea, glad you enjoyed it.

Reply
Bridget Williamson link
15/10/2017 02:22:39 pm

This place looks so cool. I've been traveling around that area since I was a kid and have never known about it. Definitely going to visit next time I'm around there.

Reply
Roxanne
15/10/2017 02:50:03 pm

So glad to hear you want to visit now, Bridget. My work is done :-)

Reply
sonja
14/4/2018 04:52:37 pm

I am a born Tome and I would like to know more as there is a lot of us Tome still living (3rd generation of Dominique an Antonia) Please be so kind as to contact me.

Reply
Roxanne
14/4/2018 08:15:35 pm

Hi Sonja, I PMed you the only contact number I have for Rayno. If it doesn't work I suggest you try to contact him through directory enquiries or Knysna Tourism. I can't help in any other way. Good luck.

Reply
Michele Burger (Tomé)
3/1/2020 08:28:36 pm

Hi. Can Sonja contact me. Michele Tomé
072 111 6050

Marlene Scharf
16/7/2018 12:49:24 pm

I am also a descendent (Rabbolini) and have done extensive research into our family history both here and in Italy. As an aside the name of the church should be spelt San Ambrogio.....

Reply
Roxanne
16/7/2018 01:28:47 pm

How intriguing, Marlene. Yes, the saint was indeed Ambrogio, but the name the church now goes by is the more anglicised spelling (for whatever reason) of Ambroso, as you will notice on the signpost outside the chapel museum and in the photo above.

Reply
Duncan Oelschig
27/6/2019 06:30:17 pm

Hello Marlene, my mother's maiden name is Rabbolini. I've done quite a bit of research on my fathers line and have now turned my attention to my mothers line. It's been tough going so I was very excited to read your comments here. Please contact me so I can chat to you about your research?

Reply
Marlene Scharf
17/3/2020 10:09:57 am

Hi Duncan Will be pleased to help any way I can. Please contact me.

Dominique
2/11/2020 03:43:22 pm

Hi there.
I believe we are related maybe distant cousins.
I am the great granddaughter of Domenico Sciocatti
Granddaughter of Paulina Sciocatti married Bushby.
Daughter of Domenico Bushby
Niece to Claire Bushby married Petzer. The Rabbolini are cousins to my father Domenico and Aunty Claire.
I'm wanting to learn more about my Italian Heritage. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you Dominique

Dominique
2/11/2020 03:40:34 pm

Hi there.
I believe we are related maybe distant cousins.
I am the great granddaughter of Domenico Sciocatti
Granddaughter of Paulina Sciocatti married Bushby.
Daughter of Domenico Bushby
Niece to Claire Bushby married Petzer.
I'm wanting to learn more about my Italian Heritage. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you Dominique

Reply
Anita link
5/12/2018 05:10:51 pm

Hi i am the granddaughter of Petro Tomê (nike name Piet) he lived in sout revier knysna my grategrandfather was Petro Tomê and my grat grat granfather name is Domenic Tomê thy pictures is in the San Ambroso Champel in knysna. I will love to know more where i came from.

Reply
Roxanne
5/12/2018 08:23:15 pm

How fascinating, Anita. This is pretty much all I know, but I suggest you try to make contact with Rayno through the San Ambroso chapel's Facebook page (link in the second paragraph of the blog post above).

Reply
Michele Burger (Tomé)
3/1/2020 08:30:03 pm

Can Anita contact me 072 1116050

Peter Thorpe
3/1/2019 08:53:26 pm

Is it on the KomsePad the KomsePad road? Did it survive the the fire?

Reply
Roxanne
11/1/2019 02:20:52 am

Yes it is, Peter. I'm not sure about the fire, but I'm sure I'd have heard if it didn't. I've asked a friend who lives near there and will report back if it was damaged.

Reply
Peter Silbernagl
17/7/2020 07:26:43 am

The family photo is of the Mangiagalli family. The matriarch was a Fardini who came to Gouna with her husband Guiseppe Mangiagalli from the Milan area in 1881. The young man with the cheese cutter, sitting next to the girl with the very big hat is William de Oliveira. All others are Mangiagalli.

Reply
Roxanne
17/7/2020 09:46:53 am

Thanks for sharing, Peter. I'm sure any members of these families today would be thrilled to know this.

Reply
Sharon
5/10/2020 10:24:21 am

I have visited with San Ambroso and had a lovely coffee with Rayno. It was a lovely trip and I was deeply moved by what I saw in the museum.
My husband is a descendent from Domenico and Antonia Tome family line. Does anyone have any information as to their birth places in Italy? I haven't been able find anything in this regard.

Reply
Roxanne
6/10/2020 07:39:40 pm

Some other people have also been looking for info about the Tome family, Sharon. Did you ask Rayno for any leads? I hope you have success.

Reply
Dominique
2/11/2020 03:28:29 pm

Hi. I am the great granddaughter of Domenico Sciocatti his daughter Paulina Sciocatti married bushby her son Domenico Bushby (my father)
Would really appreciate any help with our family heritage. Thank you Dominique

Reply
Roxanne
2/11/2020 07:08:36 pm

I have emailed you the phone number I have for Rayno, Dominique. He's done research on the families and may be able to help you with info.

Reply
Mandy
24/1/2021 01:03:17 pm

Hi it's amazing to read about the Gouna area after listening for years to my grandfather speaking about it! I'm the granddaughter of James Sciocatti that was married to Mary Sciocatti (Butler) their daughter Bernadette Sciocatti was my mom, I would love to visit the church at some time.

Reply
Roxanne
24/1/2021 01:36:08 pm

Oh Mandy, you'll be so interested in the info and photos you'll find in the little museum. Although I have Italian ancestry it's not here in Knysna but I loved reading about it all. I hope you get there soon.

Reply
Rochelle Joubert
27/6/2021 08:45:28 pm

This is such a beautiful piece of history. My grandmother was Giuditta Mangiagalli. We have visited the church before and will definitely go again. Thank you for the renovations and keeping our history alive. Kind regards, Rochelle

Reply
Roxanne Reid
27/6/2021 08:57:25 pm

I agree that Rayno has done an important job in preserving the history of this area, Rochelle.

Reply
Virginia
13/1/2022 06:51:49 pm

Hi Roxanne I went to visit the Sat Ambrose ItalianChurch in Gouna today But disappointed that it was locked I am interested in the history of the Italian families who lived up there,.Many years ago when I was tour guiding I contacted Rayno He was very helpful and informative When I manage to go up to Gouna I need to contact Rayno to open the church Do you have a contact number ?

Reply
Roxanne Reid
13/1/2022 06:56:31 pm

The number I have for him is 0824957953 but I don't know if that's still his number. I hope you manage to connect with him.

Reply

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    I'm an independent travel writer and book editor with a passion for Africa - anything from African travel, people, safari and wildlife to adventure, heritage, road-tripping and slow travel.
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