Karkloof Nature Reserve

Posts : 1095 Join date : 2009-01-14 Location : East London

"This steep flat topped area of indigenous forest stretches from Rietvlei to Curry’s Post, a distance of 50 kilometers. A church that was built in the 1860s and used as a fort during the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879, remains standing surrounded by settler graves, giving a glimpse into Karkloof’s past"

What fort would this have been.

Any information welcome!

Subject: Re: Karkloof Nature Reserve Sun Dec 08, 2013 9:28 pm

OH2,

Not a fort per se, what I think the writer of that piece is inferring was that Saint Mark's Church at Karkloof was prepared to be used as a defensive position had the need arisen.

In much the same way that George Smith turned over his church at Estcourt during the Langalibalele Uprising in 1873/4.

John Y.

Posts : 1604 Join date : 2009-09-21

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
St. Marks Anglican Church, Karkloof

Posts : 947 Join date : 2011-10-21 Location : Algoa Bay

Hi JY, OH and Dave,
Concur. Laband and Thomson do not list the Karkloof church as a fortification.
They do however list , under Colonial defensive district no 111, nearby Howick laager, York and Curry's Post ( nos 55,56 and 54, respectively).

regards,

barry

» Defence Districts
» Reserve ammunition
» Or was other parts of the reserve ?
» Hypothesis on the positions of the Zulu reserve
» One of South Africa’s oldest Reserve Force Regiments.