The land for the cathedral was granted by Sir William Muir, the lieutenant governor of the North Western Provinces, thereafter Elizabeth Huntly Wemyss, his wife, laid the foundation stone on 10 April 1871 [REF].
According to The Building News, 25 November 1887, the cathedral was commenced some 15 years ago and was at first intended for the cathedral of the North-Western Provinces and to have an open verandah and ambulatory all round.