World's Smallest Catholic church in South Africa

Having lived in both KwaZulu Natal and in Gauteng over the past 40 odd years I have frequently passed through Van Reenan's Pass taking in the breathtaking views.
Notorious for its treacherous roads I have driven on both the original road which was a very small single lane road with no real barriers and big drops on one side, which promised a pretty harrowing driving experience!
This original road was reported to be the original ox wagon route!
Over the years a new road was built much wider and fewer accidents. This is one of the main routes to and from Durban - Johannesburg. The result is many large trucks frequent this stretch resulting in some really horrific accidents. I have posted both some winter and summer pictures. The pass is covered in a winter wonderland when snow falls. Some years it has been so bad that the pass is closed for days on end. In fact several years back we got stranded in Ladysmith for 4 days unable to pass through after a summer seaside holiday!
Many people pass through Van Reenen's pass daily whether for business or on vacation, many seldom stop to take in this little town, which in all honesty can be driven through in a blink of an eye.
During the school holidays traffic can come to a complete standstill. The sweeping and winding pass is renowned for its slippery roads and frequently experience thick mist and high gusting winds.
The views are spectacular and it is the main route through the Drakensberg Mountains.

It is a little town perched high on the summit of the Pass found between Harrismith and Ladysmith on the N3. Van Reenen has a history steeped in the time of the Anglo-Boer War, and a lookout point, called the Windy Corner found 3 kilometres out of the little town with breathtaking views over the mountains and the much lower lying areas.
There are many Battlefield Routes sprawled out in the valley below. You will find many arts and crafts places as well as hiking trails and be able to immerse yourself in a rich culture of the mighty Zulu people.
This is the halfway mark and as you drive to the top of the pass you can immediately feel the temperature drop especially in the early mornings or late evenings. The air is mountain fresh and intoxicating.
Hubby and I stopped here on route to our honeymoon. We stopped at the little petrol station and had a really awful breakfast. Hubby was putting tomato sauce on his meal when the lid shot off and he ended up with its contents all over himself. He was livid and I could not stop giggling, not a good start to our honeymoon. Well that was 29 years ago and three beautiful children later that we had now brought along with us to visit the area.
We decided to stop this time to explore and not drive straight through the pass as we usually did and visit the little famous church known as the smallest Roman Catholic church in the world with my family. We are Catholic so this was extra special moment for us.
It is a tiny chapel that seats 8 people built by a father in memory of his son, known then as the Llandaff Oratory. Llandaff Mathew died saving eight men in a coalmine accident.
You will miss the sign if you are not looking for it or if you are driving while concentrating on the road There is an old petrol station, from Johannesburg direction it would be on your right as you "summit" the pass. About 400 metres along a small road, you will come across the little red brick church on your right. It is really tiny, with a small curved apse and the front facade just some 15 bricks!! It is modelled on a wing of Cardiff Cathedral in Wales.
It rests under ancient trees on its sandstone base. Its bell-tower is surmounted by a stunning Celtic cross. Below this is a marble circle with thee inscription "Landaff Oratory 1925".
A small metal cross sits guarding a grave of the unknown brave soldier.
The doorway can only fit a single person at a time, once inside you will find a narrow aisle leading to a small altar.
The stained glass windows are adorned with gorgeous iris motifs and beneath them sits four pews each seating only two people. The total number of seats eight, totalling the number of men that Llandaff Mathew saved at Burnside Colliery in KwaZulu Natal on the 19 March 1925.
Sadly his body was never recovered from the mine after he returned in search for more missing miners. While inside the mine another rockfall occurred and he never came back out. He was the son of a retired magistrate Maynard Mathew, who was determined to erect a plaque to commemorate his son's bravery. He asked for permission from the Ladysmith Catholic Church which sadly refused. Llandaff was not clergy, nor a prominent national figure so he did not qualify for a church-sanctioned tribute. Maynard was living in a lodge on the property at the time. The lodge is now the garage building situated near the oratory. This did not deter him and he was determined to create a memorial to honour his late son. the result is he built the church himself.
Mathew a devout christian himself. The stone plaque on the left wall proclaims "to the Glory of God" "and in loving memory of Llandaff Mathew, who gave his live to save those of others at Burnside Colliery on March 19th 1925 Aged 28 RIP" It really leaves a huge lump in the throat to know to what lengths this father went to to create this memorial to his brave son. Having two of my own sons this really struck a cord. it is unclear what happened to Sadie, Mathew's wife,however a photograph of Maynard in clerical vestments is in found on the wall of the church. The framed history of the church on the wall states that on the 7th May 1926 he became a Dominican priest.
The death of Mathew saw the chapel being sold to George Tierny. This was then later sold to Mr Osborne, who happened to be a Protestant!! However he allowed the church to remain a Catholic Chapel. In 1960 Charles West-Thomas bought the church and then went on to have it declared a National Monument.
Charles West-Thomas also placed a tribute to a family member inside the church. We found a plaque on the wall dedicated to his first wife, Terry. He later remarried in 1974 and gave the chapel to his second wife Mims as a wedding gift.
Geraldine Johnson, the daughter of the current owner, Mims West-Thomas, runs the little tea garden we visited. It is really beautifully decorated with some stunning pieces of wooden furniture, curious, tasty treats and homemade items we had some delicious tea and scones served in a beautiful tea set out on the lawn. The views are stunning, very peaceful. I highly recommend you take the time to visit this little gem and take in a piece of history and dwell in the love a father had for his heroic son.