The Kuruman Mission was established by the London Missionary Society (LMS) in 1816 at Maruping near Kuruman where a town of about 10 000 Batswana were residents. Robert Moffat, Scottish missionary and his wife Mary arrived in Kuruman from Scotland in 1820 and soon sought permission from Chief Mothibi to relocate to the present position at Seodin in the valley of the Kuruman River.
Moffat (1795-1887) laboured at the mission for 50 years. His period is considered the ‘golden age’ of missionary work, especially amongst the Batswana. He was a man of considerable talents and oversaw the building of staff houses, a schoolhouse, storerooms, and the ‘Cathedral of the Kalahari’, the Moffat Church (opened in 1838), which seats 800 people.
The Moffat Church is one of the world’s best-known physical missionary creations of the nineteenth century. It was once the largest building on the high veld. The church was built by Robert Moffat and Robert Hamilton.
At the same time, he worked on what was to be his greatest legacy: the Setswana Bible. He taught himself Setswana, developed the orthography and, with a broad team, translated the Bible. This he printed on a hand press - the first entire Bible printed in Africa. This press can be seen at Moffat Mission.
The mission is also well known as the first African home of Dr David Livingstone. He arrived as an LMS missionary in 1841, and remained in contact with the mission through his marriage to Moffat’s eldest daughter, Mary junior.
The remains of the almond tree under which Livingstone proposed to Mary Moffat can still be seen in the homestead garden.
The mission fell into disrepair from 1960-70, but in 1981 the United Congregational Church (successor to the LMS) formed a Trust and all the historic buildings were restored and a conference centre built. The historical buildings are open to the public.
Visiting hours:
Mondays-Saturdays: 8:00 - 17:00
Admission fee payable
