The Khoi people whom the first European seafarers met at the Cape, were nomadic hunter herders with large flocks of fat tailed sheep and herds of long horned cattle. They had roamed the Cape for two thousand years,together with vast herds of game such as quagga and bluebuck(now extinct). Much older Stone Age hand axes and other artifacts are frequently ploughed up, giving evidence of Stone Age dwellers.

The first title deeds of Altydgedacht were signed by Simon van der Stel in 1698 and the farm was then named Tygerberg. A 'tyger' was the name given to a leopard by the early Dutch settlers and the name Tygerberg comes from the 'spots' one sees in the fynbos of the Tygerberg during the hot summer months. The spots are thought to be from termite mounds that give plants in that soil a different colour.

The first owner of the estate was Elsje van Suurwaarde whose husband, like all Dutch East India Company officials was not permitted to own land.She gave her name to the Elsieskraal river and the suburb of Elsies River. After Elsjes' death, the farm passed through the hands of many owners.

In 1816 the Liesching family housed Napoleon's secretary, Count de las Cases for 3 months on the estate, while he awaited a ship to return to Europe.The English authorities apparently feared a plot to rescue Napoleon from St. Helena.

His diary describes "being removed to the very extremity of the civilised world" in "the desert of the Tygerberg", where he nevertheless enjoyed the agreeable company of his hosts.

Altydgedacht has been owned by the Parker family since 1852. George Francis Parker, then aged 19, arrived at the Cape with his parents and 2 brothers in 1819, with one of the many groups of settlers sent by the English governement to the Cape and the Australian colonies.

George remained at the Cape to become a merchant and later, in 1852, to acquire the farm, while the rest of the family settled in Australia.

Five generations have maintained and developed Altydgedacht. George's great, great grandsons, John and Oliver, continue the unbroken family tradition.

The earliest homestead has been replaced but the original white washed 'ringmuur', 'slavebell' and outbuidings still remain. The cellar, dating from the early 1700's is the one of the oldest functioning wine cellars left in the country.