"THE CITY OF SAINTS" a Grahamstown Travel Page by PEE-WEE

Grahamstown was founded by Lt .colonel John Graham in 1812 as the military headquarters for a system of forts along the Fish River, which had been established as the boundary of the Cape Colony.
Lord Charles Somerset became governor of the Colony in 1814 and he saw that a concentration of European settlers along the border, would do away with the need for more soldiers to maintain the frontier.

At this time, there was much unemployment in Britain.Soldiers had been demobilized after the Napoleonic Wars and the industrial revolution was at its height.

So Somerset's fronteir scheme seemed an ideal solution to both the problems existing in Britain and the Cape Colony.

The Settlers were given a very unrealistic description of the life they would have on the Fronteir.
The 100 acre land allotments for each family, was totally inadequate for successful farming, particularly so, as the Settlers were not of farming stock.
Most had earned their livings as artisans and craftsmen.

As crops failed successively, they began drifting into towns, where they reverted to their former trades.

The authorities, at first opposed this exodus from the land, but eventually granted the Settlers building plots in Grahamstown.
Beautifully restored groups of these cottages can still be seen around Artificer's Square and in New and McDonald Street's and, many of the shops remain a reminder of those early days of trading.

Thus Grahamstown changed from a military settlement into a thriving market town.
With this came the establishment of Grahamstown's renowned schools and churches.

The little cathedral city of Grahamstown is situated just 58 kilometres from the seaside resorts of Port Alfred and Kenton - on - Sea.
Nestling in a picturesque valley surrounded by green hills, 535 metres above sea level, this gracious old city has been content to mature with the serenity and elegance of a typical English Cathedral town.

Little clusters of quaint cottages as well as fine examples of Victorian and early East Cape architecture makes Grahamstown quite different from any other city in South Africa.

In Grahamstown, there is a museum for everything - but here again, even the museums are different.As one writer described:"the curators have turned gloomy stone into blossoming history".
Grahamstown's museums are all worth a visit.

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FANCOURT IN MONUMENT

CITY OF FESTIVALS.

Grahamstown ,is home to the annual Grahamstown Arts Festival, which offers both local and international talent in more than 500 shows.
The town, established in 1812 as a military outpost,had less than 12 houses when the British Settlers arrived in 1820.
The many historic Georgian and military -style buildings which followed ,reflect their architectural style.
Rhodes University stands on the site of the old Drostdy.Behind the University on Gunfire Hill is Fort Selwyn, a part of a series of signal towers which stretched as far as the Fish River,Also on this hill is the 1820 Settlers Monument,which hosts the annual National Festival of Arts.
The Albany and 1820 Settlers memorial Museums have many 1820 Settler exhibits.
The Old Provost dates back to 1836 and was for a time a prison.
The Cathedral of St Michael and St George ,with it's 46 metre spire, is the oldest Anglican church in South Africa.The nearby Thomas Baines Nature Reserve has game including white rhino,buffalo,and zebra.