1859. St Boniface's Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic community in Knysna was founded around 1861, when a small chapel and schoolroom were built in Queen Street by Father Rooney of George where the present presbytery now stands. The first church was consecrated in 1863. The first resident priest was appointed in 1891. During the visit of the Rt. Rev. Bruno Hippel of Oudtshoorn to Knysna in 1949, planning started on the building of a new church in Queen Street, and a building subscription fund opened. Plans for the new church were drawn by Brother John Tenhof and developed further by architect K. Hussey of Pretoria, whilst Brother Joseph Becker was responsible for most of the carpentry work. Bishop Hippel laid the foundation stone on 23 April 1949 and the church was opened and blessed by the Bishop on 17 October 1950. The design of the church is in the modified Mediterranean Revival style.