| Stormsvlei | |
| Pushpin Map: | South Africa Western Cape#South Africa |
| Coordinates: | -34.083°N 20.097°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | South Africa |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Western Cape |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Overberg |
| Subdivision Type3: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name3: | Swellendam |
| Subdivision Type4: | Main Place |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Population Total: | 987 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Racial Makeup (2011) |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Coloured |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 64.7% |
| Demographics1 Title2: | White |
| Demographics1 Info2: | 18.1% |
| Demographics1 Title3: | Black African |
| Demographics1 Info3: | 16.8% |
| Demographics1 Title4: | Other |
| Demographics1 Info4: | 0.4% |
| Demographics Type2: | First Languages (2011) |
| Demographics2 Title1: | Afrikaans |
| Demographics2 Info1: | 85.7% |
| Demographics2 Title2: | Xhosa |
| Demographics2 Info2: | 10.9% |
| Demographics2 Title3: | English |
| Demographics2 Info3: | 2.5% |
| Demographics2 Title4: | Other |
| Demographics2 Info4: | 0.8% |
| Timezone1: | SAST |
| Utc Offset1: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code (street) |
| Postal2 Code Type: | PO box |
| Postal2 Code: | 7252 |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
Stormsvlei is a town on the southern bank of the Riviersonderend, some 17 km south of Bonnievale and 50 km north of Bredasdorp. Of Afrikaans origin, the name means 'storm marsh'.[1]
As of 2011 the town's population was 987 people living in 282 households.[2]
By 1732, grazing rights were already granted here, but apparently they were not used. Fifty years later, in 1782, the farm known as Avontuur was awarded to Christiaan Andreas Storm and the town was named after him, hence the name 'Stormsvlei'.
In 1841 the farm came into the ownership of cousins Laurence and William Twentyman. They were good businessmen and developed here at the intersection of the route from the Cape to the eastern districts of the Cape Colony and of the route from the interior (via Kogmanskloof, Ashton and Bonnievale) to the sea at Agulhas a popular stopover.
In its prime, Stormsvlei had a hotel with a bar. There was a wagon maker and a blacksmith, stables, a mill and even a post office, a police station and a prison. Only the church still exists. The old mansion is now a guest house.