The Battlefields - Legends of the Zulu Kingdom

Newcastle Battles and Sites

Laing's Nek:
28 January 1881. Major-General Sir George Pomeroy Colley and his Natal field force had been ordered to assist in quelling the Transvaal quest for independence. He tried to get past the defence lines that had been set up by the Boer General Piet Joubert at Laing's Nek. He however suffered heavy losses after attempting to break through on a number of occasions. He was thus forced to retreat.The N11 from Volksrust to Newcastle takes you through Laing's Nek Pass. On the side of the road is a parking area with a diorama.

zoom An illustration of Gen. Colley at the height of the battle of Majuba.

Majuba:
27 February 1881. General Colley was determined to defeat the Boers, who he regarded as 'unsophisticated rebels' and to restore his reputation as a militarist. He felt that the Majuba Mountain, which towered obove Laing's Nek could be the the ideal vantage point to force the Boers into retreat.He thus ordered a force of approximately 579 men to occupy the crown of this mountain, in the early hours of the morning of the 26 February.

When the boers realised that this mountain had been occupied, they stormed it from various sides. The British were taking by surprise and in the esuing battle General Colley was killed and British forces were forced to retreat.

The British defeat was overwhelming and brought independence within the reach of the Boers. On the 6 March 1881 General Joubert and Colley's successor, General Wood, signed an armistice agreement. This was followed by a peace agreement on the 23 March. On the 3 August the Pretoria Convention was signed to establish Tranvaal's independence.

The turnoff to this site is on the N11 from Volksrust to Newcastle. An entrance fee is charged. Picnic and braai facilities are available. Toilets. Open daily.

For more information on the above or the following attractions contact Newcastle Publicity Association.

zoom The signing of the armistice treaty - O'Neils Farm 6 March 1881

Schuinshoogte(Ingogo):
8 February 1881. Here the British forces under General Colley were surrounded by the Boers,under the leadership of General Nicolaas Smit. The British forces were once again forced to retreat.Open daily.

zoom The Schuinshoogte Monument

Monuments and Memorials in the Newcastle District

THE NEWCASTLE TOWN HALL


Constructed in commemoration of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee the building was officially opened on 28th July 1899 only to be occupied by the invading Boer Forces in October of the same year.

The Boers used the building as a grand warehouse to stock all the looted furniture from the town. However when the British re-occupied the Town in may 1900 all was still intact despite the charge of dynamite also found in the building!

In 1901 a fine clock, which still runs today, was installed in the tower. The Tower also provided a superb home to an owl, who found himself rudely evicted after snoring through a musical concert.

The grand old Hall has served the community well through a whole century and looks set to do the same for another.

HAGGARD’S HILLDROP HOUSE
Rider Haggard’s Hilldrop House built in 1875, situated on an estate known as Roy Point was purchased in 1879 by Sir Rider Haggard, author of “King Solomon’s Mines”, “She” and other famous novels, and his friend Arthur Cochrane for the purpose of ostrich farming.

The estate was bought from Sir Melmouth Osborn who had been the resident magistrate of Newcastle but had moved on. Rider Haggard’s first novel “Jess” is based on his experiences at Hilldrop House. The farm “Mooifontein” can be recognised as Roy Point and “Lion’s Kloof” is un- mistakenly “Tiger’s Kloof”.

This house was used as the location for discussions for the retrocession of the annexation of the Transvaal and played host to a number of dignitaries including Sir Hercules Robinson, Sir Henry de Villiers, President Brand, President Paul Kruger, General Piet Joubert and M.W. Pretorius.

Rider Haggard’s Hilldrop House is now a national monument and this home, set in beautiful grounds, has been lovingly restored and made part of an excellent B & B. Its present owners Andre and Lelani Joubert will show you around if you make an appointment tel (034) 315 2098.

THE ARMOURY
During the 1870 with the threat of war with Zululand looming the colonial authorities advised the towns of the colony to provide some form of defence for their townsfolk. This led to the construction of the Armoury. Used as the gathering point of the local volunteers, the Newcastle Mounted Rifles the Armoury has continued to provide a home and a gathering place for local volunteers and service men. One of its more interesting “visitors” was a young Winston Churchill who spent a night here as a prisoner of the Boer Forces in 1899. Now it is the home of the MOTHS and contains a fascinating collection of memorabilia. Anyone wishing to visit the place should contact “Bim” Philpott on 034 318 7176

THE KING’S HOTEL
Built as a private home in 1880 by Mr Newstead it had 9 bedrooms each with its own piano. Mr Newstead gave lesson’s to the town’s talented children. In 1891 when the railway arrived Newstead saw another opportunity and turned his home into a hotel and a pub and very popular one at that. The King’s Hotel really sprang to fame during the Anglo- Boer War of 1899-1902 when there were thousands of troops in and around Newcastle and “mine Host” entertained the boys each night in the lounge with all the popular tunes of the day with the boys joining in the sing song. One fatal winter’s night however, there was a sudden and dreadful explosion when the fire in the lounge was stoked with more coal. Mr. Newstead had to be taken to hospital with a serious face wound. A cartridge must have found its way into the coal scuttle and discharged in the fire, the bullet striking Newstead in the face. Although the bullet was removed Newstead failed to recover.

HINDU TEMPLE
Built in 1903 this rather unique temple looks almost miniature, yet it is reputed to have the largest cella dome of its kind in the southern hemisphere. The cella being the chief apartment of the temple where the statues of the God and Goddess are placed. One of the famous visitors of times gone by was none other than Mahandras Magandi who is even reputed to have slept in a little house that used to stand behind the temple. The President of the Temple and present caretaker is Mr B.O. Singh who is always willing to show visitors around if he is there.

LYCH GATE AND MILITARY CEMETERY
The Lych Gate at the entrance to the Newcastle Cemetery in Hardwick Street is commemorated to the men who fell in the two World Wars.

In the cemetery itself there are monuments to the Imperial Troops that died in the two Boer Wars.

Further into the cemetery one will find the graves and memorials to men who died during the two World Wars

CONTACT: TOURISM NEWCASTLE
www.tourismnewcastle.co.za
info@newcastle.co.za
Tel: 027 034 315 3318
Fax 27 034 312 9815

O'Neils Cottage:
This cottage the original home of Eugene O'Neil was used as a makeshift hospital for British soldiers during the Battle of Majuba and many of their graves are here. The peace treaty that was sigbed to end the First War of Independence was signed in this area. The turnoff to this cottage is on the N11, in Laing's Nek pass, betwen Volksrust and Newcastle.

St Dominic's Pavilion: A national monument, this elegant building dating from 1916 was designed as a skating rink and used for social events. Situated at St Dominic's Academy, previously a Catholic Convent. Tel: (034) 312- 9265.

Town Hall:
Scott Street. A national monument built in 1897 to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria. The beautifully restored sandstone building with its stained glass windows and attractive clock tower is still in use as a concert venue and houses the offices of the Newcastle Publicity Association. Tel: (034) 315- 3318.

Newcastle, Museums and Galleries

THE CARNEGIE GALLERY
The gallery was built on a donation received from the Carnegie Corporation of New York to serve as a public library. Construction of this beautiful building was completed in 1915. Erected on the site of the public gallows and jail it remained in service as a library for 65 years when it was converted into a museum. A duty it performed until 1991 when it was transformed into an Art Gallery under the curatorship of Mrs Judy Jordan. The borough seal that appears above the entrance was designed by the first Mayor, Councillor AJ Crawford, when Newcastle was officially declared a borough in 1891. The inscription “Qui Non Proficit Deficit” which translated means “He who is not willing to serve is a failure”. For more information www.carnegie-art.co.za
FORT AMIEL MUSEUM
With the threat of war on the Zululand front looming and the possibility of annexation of the Transvaal in the air, Major Charles Frederick Amiel and a detachment of 200 men from the 80th Staffordshire Volunteers was sent to Newcastle to build a fort. The site he chose was on the north side of the Ncandu River on a short promontory running out from the general hillside. This not only provided his position with steep slopes on three sides but also an excellent view of the drift and the town on the south side of the river. During the annexation of the Transvaal in 1877 Amiel’s troops were held in readiness for action.

During the Zulu War of 1879 the Fort was an important base and commissariat for military operations. It was again called into service in 1881 during the Transvaal War of Independence when it served as the main base for General Pomeroy-Colley’s disastrous campaign to try and break through the Boer lines at Laing’s Nek and relieve the besieged garrisons in the Transvaal. In 1802 the fort was auctioned off and fell into disuse until May 1900 during the Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902 with the return of the Imperial Forces in 1900 when it was once again turned into an important base, hospital, commissariat and transit camp for the remainder of the war. Proclaimed a National monument in 1979 work was started on restoring the Fort. These efforts were given a great boost when the original plans were discovered in a London Museum in1985. Now the main Fort has been returned to much of its original glory and portrays a typical frontier fort of the Victorian area. It now houses a number of interesting items on the town’s history and the battles fought in the region along with a room dedicated to one of the towns more famous personalities, Rider Haggard, world famous writer of novels such as “King Solomon’s Mines” “She”, “Jess” and several others.

Other Cultural attractions

Buller's Headquarters:
43 Ayliff Street, Newcastle. Used by General Buller as his headquarters. Now the business premises of the grandson of James Bruce, who built this quaint Victorian home in 1891. Commandeered by Boer officers during the Anglo-Boer War in 1899. The letters Z.A.R (Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek) are carved deeply into one of the window sills.

Carnegie Art Gallery:
Wonderful collection of African Art and it is very active in promoting the local crafts. Regular exhibitions. Open: Tuesday - Thursday 09h00 - 13h00. Friday 11h00 - 16h00, Saturaday 09h00 - 12h00. Other times on request.

Draaiwater Country Farm Stall:
26 kms out of town on the Memel Road (R34). Fresh produce, ice-cold ginger beer, ethnic handwork, crafts and works of art. Produced locally, for sale. Look out for the colourful tractor marking the entrance. Tel: (034) 315-4204.

Factory Tours:
Tours of a chemical rubber plant, pottery and textile manufacturer, arranged through the Newcastle Publicity Association.Tel: (034) 315- 3318.
Fort Terror:
Remains of an old signalling post can be seen at Blue Ridge Guest Farm just outside Newcastle on the Ladysmith Road.Tel: (034) 312- 9878.

zoom The Carnegie Art Gallery Photo: Newcastle Publicity

Hindu Temple:
Kirkland Street. Boasts a beautifully shaped shell. The dome is the largest on a Hindu Temple in the southern hemisphere

The Armoury:
Scott Street. The Newcastle Mounted Rifles built this arsenal in the 1870s. Unusual architectural design and gable. Used as a MOTH Shellhole.

zoom The Newcastle Hindu Temple Photo: Newcastle Publicity

Culture and Crafts:


Isiphethu
Organised by the Carnegie Art Gallery www.carnegie-art.co.za

Isiphethu began in l999 when a group of women came together to sew a wall hanging for a Woman’s Day project organised by the Gallery. The project inspired the women to continue creating these unique pieces.

Each woman creates her own design, chooses her own subject, decides on the colours and creates pictures in a distinctive and individual style. All the embroideries tell stories, some are events in the lives of the women, others are legends and historical incidents and some reflect modern day living.

Snowy’s
Located on the Newcastle Volksrust road on the north side of Charlestown, this unique country shop sells handicrafts, antiques and local produce like home bakes and its’ famous biltong.

I-Krafti
A small farm stall on the Newcastle Volksrust road just before the Ingogo turn off when coming from Newcastle. Products include Zulu jugs and pots, whips, spears and shields.

The Pines
Located on the corner of Van Eck drive and Allen St (Volksrust Rd) This a very nice tearoom, curio shop and nursery.

For more information on the above attractions contact Newcastle Publicity Association.

Copyright © Tourism KwaZulu-Natal