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Groot Winterhoek

mountains in the Western Cape province of South Africa

Architectural plans, a scale model, maps and brass measuring instruments
Places and architectureInterpretive dossier study · Crown Archives visual atlas
Record originEnglish Wikipedia
Text licenseCC BY-SA 4.0
Source revisionMay 25, 2026
Entity authorityQ3861082 ↗
Source-derived summary

The Groot Winterhoek mountains are located in the Western Cape province of South Africa and are part of the Cape Fold Belt comprising a watershed area of 552,606 ha (1,365,520 acres; 5,526.06 km2; 2,133.62 sq mi). They rise to a maximum height of 2077 m just north of the town of Tulbagh as Groot Winterhoek peak. The mountains are predominantly made up of Table Mountain sandstone. Up to 83% of the range is still classified as being in a natural state and up to 72% of the range is protected. The towns of Saron and Porterville are located at the foot the mountain range's western side.

A plateau in the northern half of the mountains is accessible via the Dasklip Pass.

Mammals found in the range include klipspringer, grey rhebok, grysbok, Cape mountain leopard (Felis leopardus var. melanotica ), caracal, African wild cat, mongoose, and genets. A wide range of indigenous plant species, such as Agathosma, Aspalathus linearis and various proteas (all of which are harvested commercially), naturally grow in the area. Common insects in the area include Black Mound Termites.

Editorial summary

The public source identifies “Groot Winterhoek” as mountains in the Western Cape province of South Africa. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Groot, Winterhoek and mountains.

Editorial reviewA valuable geographic starting point for tracing changing names, boundaries, uses and administrative responsibility. The current lead gives the account dated anchors—2077—that can be checked directly. The selected authority fields contribute no independent date. Its value is orientation rather than verdict, with Groot, Winterhoek and mountains providing the first useful test.
Editorial analysis

Why this record matters

A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Groot Winterhoek”, the useful work is to connect “mountains in the Western Cape province of South Africa” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.

Evidence profile

The strongest evidence will usually combine a dated visual record with documents produced by the authority responsible for the place. The source revision retrieved here is dated May 25, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q3861082. Authority coordinates are -33.030, 19.105. 2 of 2 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 2077.

Critical limits

Modern boundaries and familiar names can conceal earlier jurisdictions or structures that do not align with the present site. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.

How to read it

Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.

Best used for
  • Historic place names
  • Jurisdictional context
  • Routes into maps and plans
Verify next

Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.

Three-step research path

  1. Establish the record: confirm the title “Groot Winterhoek”, its source revision and the description used here.
  2. Expand the search: follow Groot Winterhoek primary sources, Groot Winterhoek archive and Groot research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
  3. Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.

Questions for further research

  1. Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Groot Winterhoek”?
  2. Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
  3. Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
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Source & attribution

This entry incorporates text from “Groot Winterhoek” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.