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Wild beginnings In the mid 1890s, the area which was to become the village of Krantzkloof, and later, Kloof, was a part a huge farm named Richmond, owned by the Field family. At that time, Natal was a British Colony, so this area was scattered with British pioneer families, settling down to tame the African landscape. It was still quite wild back then, with animals like leopards and lions roaming around. The last elephant had been shot in the 1850s. Further, there was the colonial fear of an invasion of the Zulu impi from the Valley of a Thousand Hills. In 1896 Krantzkloof Station (which became Kloof Station, and is presently ‘Stokers’) was built on the Durban – Pietermaritzburg railway line. It was in the waiting room of this station that first formal Christian worship took place in the area. Clergy from St. John’s Anglican Church in Pinetown would trek up Field’s Hill to conduct services and celebrate Holy Communion to the handful of residents who lived on the farm.
Church of the Holy Spirit  In 1904, with the subdivision of Richmond and the subsequent rise in population to 76 (including children), a wood and iron church was built on property (our present property) donated to the Anglican Church by Mr. T.S.P. Field. This church, named the Church of the Holy Spirit, fell under the parish of Pinetown. This was the first church to be built in Kloof. The first vicar was the Rev. Henry Grellier, who reportedly rode up from Durban on horseback to conduct services twice a month. Some years later the railway plate-layer’s house, a mud brick, wood and iron structure, situated on the property (where the new Children’s ministry centre has been built) was turned into a house for the vicar, and it served this purpose until 1957. It also served as a venue for the Sunday School until the hall was built.
St. Agnes Church By the 1930s, the Church of the Holy Spirit had become too small for the increasing population of Kloof. In 1936 the foundation stone of the new stone church was laid. The following year, on the 10 March, the new church was consecrated by Bishop Leonard Fisher, as St. Agnes Church. This name was chosen as one of the donors to the building requested that the church bear the name of his mother, whose second name was Agnes. The new building was designed by Mr. W.B. Oxley, who designed it in the Norman style. The name of the old church was re-inforced in the new building – the north-facing side chapel was named the Chapel of the Holy Spirit. The focal point of the church was a large stained glass window of the Risen Christ in the east-facing sanctuary. This window was donated in 1946, in memory of the Allied victory in the Second World War. Many of the other windows were given in memory of parishioners who died in the War, while other windows were added more recently in memory of other parishioners. The new church could seat a total of around 180 and cost in the region of ₤ 2 500. The bell tower, which was not in the original plans, was quickly added to the building in 1937, in memory of King George V. Unfortunately no bells were ever put in the tower because it was too weak to support them. A recording of ringing bells was used instead.
Developments In 1946 St. Agnes  seceded from the parish of Pinetown and became an independent parish. The parish of Kloof extended from Kloof, through to Wyebank, Hillcrest and Botha’s Hill. The parish was also responsible for the chapelries of local private schools like St. Mary’s, Highbury and Kearsney College. Services were also taken at Krantzkloof Convalescent Home (presently Kloof Rest Home) and Hill Crest Hospital. In 1947, St. Agnes planted a mission church in Hillcrest. The old wood and iron Church of the Holy Spirit was relocated there, and later moved to Botha’s Hill. It is presently standing at Pineville Junction in Pinetown. A new vicarage was built in 1957, on the north-western corner of the property (presently the Parish Offices). In 1960, a new hall was built. This served as a space for the Church Office, Sunday School, Youth group meetings, church socials, weddings and housed a badminton court. It also served the poor of our community – it was a refuge for people during the period of turbulence in the townships, where films were screened to them. It held sewing clubs, was a place for bead-workers to sell their goods, and housed the Employment Bureau, all of which still operate today. In 1971, a new church in Hillcrest was completed, subsequently forming its own parish, separate from Kloof.
Rapidly growing church In 1993, additions were made to St Agnes. The building was extended northwards, through the old side chapel, creating a much larger nave, and moving the sanctuary to the south side of the building. A new baptism pool was installed in the old sanctuary, below the east window. It also enabled a pipe organ to be installed. These extensions increased the building's capacity to over 300 people.
By the early 2000s, the 9am service was already at full capacity. In 2003 a Youth centre, named B³ (Belong, Believe, Behave), was built alongside the offices in response to the increasing young population of the church.
 In 2002 talks of embarking on a major building project began. These finally came into action in 2006, when the hall was demolished, and the construction of a new 1000-seater auditorium and children’s ministry centre began. Phase 1 of this project was completed in April 2007. We are proud to share in this heritage which has proclaimed the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our community for over one hundred years. It is this Gospel which has driven generations before us to impact the community of Kloof. And it still remains central to us as a community of believers who form St. Agnes today, and our desire to see the world transformed by it.
Rectors at St. Agnes 1937 – J. Blore 1939 – Heywood Harris 1949 – R. Yates 1954 – George C. Oakley 1957 – Richard Brooke 1962 – Philip Russell 1966 – Tom Heywood Harris 1975 – John Henderson 1986 – Charles Parry 1993 – Nigel Juckes
Sources Publications Books Shadwell, Meredith Mary, A History of Kloof, Natal Unpublished manuscript, 1984 Newspapers The Vineyard – Newspaper of the Diocese of Natal Archives Natal Diocesan Archives, Cathedral Complex, Pietermaritzburg Collection at St. Agnes Church People Thanks to Helen Jeudwine and Margaret Arbuthnot for their contributions
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