History of Malmesbury The town of Malmesbury, just 3km from the Winery, developed around a thermal spring in 1744 and thus the region has a long rich history. The town name heralds from its sister city, Malmesbury, in England, and it was here that the fifth Dutch Reformed congregation in Cape Town was established. Initially the town was referred to as Zwartlands-kerk, but in 1829, the then Governor of the Cape, Sir Lowry Cole renamed it 'Malmesbury', in honour of his father-in-law, Sir James Harris, the first Earl of Malmesbury, England.