St Isidor Mill Museum is on the farm Kings Grant just outside Ixopo. In 1891, the German Trappist Monks established a mission supply farm to produce all the food for the recently built St Mary’s Seminary. They named the farm ‘St Isidor after the patron saint of farmers, and turned it into a thriving and busy little haven which consisted of well cultivated crops, a maize mill, a double storey dairy and hayloft, a brick factory and a piggery.

St Isidor mill & chapel became the main provider for the neighbouring seminary. Over the next 100 years, the old ways had to make way for modern mechanised farms. The Catholic Church had to make the tough decision to sell the property to the Biggs family.

My dear friend Cheryl lovingly restored the old mill and chapel after she and her husband David Biggs purchased the land in 1996. While David was farming, Cheryl reclaimed the overgrown St Isidor maize mill and chapel. They remodelled the double storey dairy, hayloft, and brick factory as a charming country retreat renaming it Kings Grant Country Retreat. 

The work was done with such love and care, every detail meticulously restored. While photographing I could imagine the shuffle of old monks on the red cobbles,  the sounds of hammer on anvil while fire crackling – The swoosh and clank of grain being weighed – The mill dust hanging quietly in the air while sacred hymns are being hummed. 

Today the ancient buildings are now surrounded by Cheryl’s gardens and  sweet-scented rose vines are hugging the chapel in old arms. Cheryl wrote her own unique story, intertwined in the rich history of St Isidor & Kings Grant.

That morning the light was luminescent, inviting and playful. I loved every moment of capturing this special photo-story for Cheryl’s portfolio of memories.