matjieshowntell

“There's a little piece of Scotland on the plains of the Great Karoo. Once favoured by princes, dukes and the young Sultan of Zanzibar, it even had its own laird. Its rich history includes murder, mayhem and magic - all woven into a tapestry of gallantry, ghosts, fact and fiction. People vied with each other to visit this arid place where Lord Randolph Churchill "picked bluebells in the hills," and Olive Schreiner, who lived in the village from 1890 to 1892, served dinner to Cecil John Rhodes in a tiny cottage which still stands. Edgar Wallace wrote a poignant piece on the death of Queen Victoria while staying there, and General Haig gave parties in a small mess which had once been a laundry. This tiny cottage can still be seen across the river from the main hotel. Such is Matjiesfontein, once a lonely spot where locals gathered reeds from the banks of the Baviaans River to weave into rush mats. Perhaps it would have meandered quietly down the years in this tranquil way had it not been for the Cape Colonial Railways and a shrewd Scot.”
taken from heritage.org.za

FURTHER INFORMATION
Laingsburg Tourism Bureau
Laingsburg Library
Private Bag X4O BOX 56
LAINGSBURG
6900
SOUTH AFRICA
PHONE AND FAX: +27 (0)23 551 1019