Our Heritage

A very short history of “Braco” and “Twin Falls” farm

Our great grandfather, Walter Thomas Shaw, settled in the Karkloof area in the mid 1800s, and married Elizabeth Gower.

They had six children: 4 boys and 2 girls. Our grandfather, Campbell Shaw (1876-1958) was the youngest son. In 1905 he moved with his young bride, Camilla Smythe (1884-1965) of Strathern, one of 14 children, into the house Braco.

They had 8 children. Our uncle, Colin, inherited the farm “Braco”, and his 2 youngest brothers, Ellem and Chimes, were given a section called “Twin Falls”. They battled to generate an adequate income and sold off a beautiful portion.

In 2015 when a house build on “Twin Falls” burnt to the ground, Willian Shaw, who inherited “Braco” from our uncle Colin, decided to buy “Twin Falls” back and integrate it into “Braco”.

In an attempt to start generating an income from “Twin Falls” he had the ruined shell designed to make the cottages ‘Ellem’ and ‘Chimes’.

Lines are not straight, windows and doors saved from the ruin have been sanded down and refurbished. The interior we have endeavored to keep as natural as possible in keeping with the setting.