Fort Murray Ruins - Reminder of a Tumultuous Past
As you enter the Eastern Cape and head east towards East London, you cross and area that was once one of the original frontier zones in South African history. The area includes Adelaide, Alicedale, Bathurst, Bedford, Fort Beaufort, Grahamstown, Peddie, Salem, Sidbury and Riebeek East and it was the main battleground area for wars fought between the Sand, Khoi-khoi, Xhosa, Dutch and British. It was here where, during the 18th and 19th centuries, swords, rifles and spears clashed repeatedly in some of the country’s fiercest battles. It was also here that Britain fought her longest and most expensive colonial war – a war that no body ever really won. Of course, there were periods of peace here too during which farms were built and the various small cities and towns located here today were established. The long periods of conflict have left an interesting legacy of forts and barracks – large numbers of which remain in the area today.
The small settlement of King Williams Town is certainly no exception. It came into being after the destruction of a mission station along the banks of the Buffalo River in 1834. The Governor at the time, Sir Benjamin D’Urban, decided to establish a new town which he named after King William IV of England. By the time his request to build this new mission station had reached England and been turned down by the British Government, the station had already been rebuilt. It was located in a favourable position which lead to frequent trade since many travelers stopped by here. Hence, many traders eventually settled in the area and the town grew. It was declared a royal borough of British Kaffraria in 1861 and has become an important centre of agriculture and commerce. Today the importance of the town has dwindled somewhat but it still makes an interesting stop along the road.
One of the things that simply must be seen while in King Williams Town is Fort Murray. The fort was built after the Seventh Frontier War in 1848, overlooking the banks of the Buffalo River. The building was established by Colonel Harry Smith who used it in preference to the colder and more exposed Fort Wellington. Today it serves as a somber reminder of the chilling battles that were once fought here which shaped the country’s history.