De Clapmuts Farm originated as a halfway station between Cape Town and Paarl/Franschhoek and was used as a cattle outpost by the Dutch East India Company. The historic Manor House, built in 1823, originated as a halfway house. It is the Cape Dutch home with the highest ceiling in the world. After the succession of the British Colonial Government, Governor Sir George Yonge appointed William Duckitt to conduct agricultural experiments on De Clapmuts Farm in 1799. Thereafter, the farm was sold twice to private owners - to Captain John Piggot Watney in 1821 and two years later to Philippus Albertus Cloete. In 1946, the farm was bought by Hermann Heinrich Paul Heins. Hermann's father was a German immigrant, and the proud German heritage trickled down through the Heins generations. Today, the fourth generation is farming with a focus on premium-quality wine grapes as well as excellent-quality pork meats.