Bathurst

As you draw up to the only four-way stop in the middle of the historic village of Bathurst you will wonder whether you have been transported back in time. This charming village with its historic buildings lining the streets was founded by the British colonial administration in 1820 to be the administrative centre of the Albany district. It was named for the Colonial Secretary of the time, Lord Bathurst. That plan did not last long. Two years later, the Governor of the Cape Colony, Lord Charles Somerset, issued a proclamation to suspend construction of the drostdy (magistracy) and in an instant, Grahamstown, some 42 kms inland, became the administrative centre.

But that was by no means the end of Bathurst. In her book Literary Guide to the Eastern Cape, Jeanette Eves states: "Attractively set amongst farmland and bush-covered hills, it is a place where town and country blend harmoniously." Eve's words were well chosen. Today Bathurst attracts a plethora of people who have chosen a lifestyle that is laidback and easy-going: writers, academics, historians, artists, potters, weavers, book collectors, plant collectors, a maker of cosmetics using essential oils, crafters of all kinds ― urbanites who have relocated into the heart of an agricultural community of pineapple farmers, dairy farmers and an increasing number of game farmers.

In fact, it was just outside Bathurst, from a vantage point known as Thornridge, that the 1820 Settler farms were surveyed. Today the villagers maintain a toposcope which comprises a circle of plaques pointing in all directions. Each plaque gives the distance, the name of a ship with its captain, the names of the families on board with their leader, and an arrow to show the direction in which each party trekked to find its allocation of land.

As you stand high up on the ridge you see farmlands in all directions. On a clear day you can see the sea. It is in this far-flung corner of the Cape Colony, bounded in the east by the Great Fish River, that poor and desperate Englishmen were prepared to brave three months at sea followed by a trek, with very little except a few possessions, a team of oxen and some compatriots, across plains teeming with game, watched by Xhosa warriors, also prepared to risk everything to protect their land, in order to grow a few crops and graze a few cattle on which to eke out a living in a foreign land. The view is breath-taking, and the recognition of the courage, determination and perseveration it must have taken to achieve all this is awe-inspiring. Graveyards dotted on farms and in villages around the Eastern Cape.

But, where there were Englishmen, there was a pub. In the early 1820s one of the settlers, Thomas Hartley, built a forge and a house in Bathurst. By 1832 he had built an inn beside the forge. The inn was highly regarded and, despite the neighbouring forge, the inn's rooms were billed as "Subscription Rooms for Gentlemen". The inn acquired its current name about 100 years later when soldiers from the Royal Air Force were stationed at what is now the 43 Air School, 12kms outside Port Alfred. They decided to name the inn after their local pub in England, thus the Bathurst Inn became the Pig and Whistle (www.pigandwhistle.co.za).

As with most of the Eastern Cape villages and towns, the residents of Bathurst are drawn to an alternative way of living. So they preserve the old buildings. The Methodist church was completed in 1837; while the Anglican Church, built in 1837, is the oldest unaltered church in South Africa. These churches are both national monuments, as is the old water-driven wool mill built by Samuel

Bradshaw in 1821, and fully restored in 1967.

But what of survival today ―schools, hospitals, shopping malls, bright lights, theatres, restaurants?

SEEFF's view is that Bathurst's attraction goes beyond a laidback lifestyle in a village with loads of historic charms. Those looking to buy property, either as a place to live, to retire or invest should consider Bathurst's proximity to the Sunshine coast. Firstly, it is 12kms from Port Alfred and 42 from Grahamstown, where there are Netcare hospitals, distinguished private and public schools, shopping malls, and a range of shops and restaurants to satisfy the bulk of any consumer's needs. For anything more, the two coastal towns of Port Elizabeth and East London are within a comfortable 90 minute drive. For culture vultures, there is Grahamstown with its annual National Arts Festival, Science Fest, the Rhodes music department, an active music society and so much more.

Secondly, SEEFF points out that Bathurst is not negatively affected by the salty atmosphere and the wear and tear it can do to your home, vehicle and other possessions. Bathurst is an ideal small countryside town to invest in whether you are looking to purchase a holiday home or a residential property to put down roots and settle for the long haul. SEEFF has a range of properties for sale to meet your needs: residential plots for new builds, cosy cottages, fixer-uppers, designer-built contemporary homes, farms and farmlands. SEEFF has contacts to help you find what you are looking for.

Wanneer jy tot stilstand kom by die enigste vierrigting stop in die middel van die geskiedkundige dorpie Bathurst, sal jy wonder of jy nie dalk ver teruggevoer is in tyd nie. Die bekoorlike dorpie met sy geskiedkundige geboue is in 1820 deur die Britse koloniale administrasie gestig om die administratiewe sentrum vir die Albanie distrik te wees. Dit is vernoem na die koloniale sekretaris van daardie tyd, Lord Bathurst. Slegs 2 jaar later is die administratiewe sentrum egter, in 'n oogwenk, 42km die binneland in na Grahamstad toe verskuif toe die goewerneur van die Kaapkolonie, Lord Charles Somerset, 'n proklamasie uitgevaardig het dat alle konstruksie aan die drostdy in Bathurst oombliklik gestaak moes word.

Dit het geensins beteken dat dit die einde was van Bathurst nie. In haar boek Literary Guide to the Eastern Cape, skryf Jeanette Eves: "Attractively set amongst farmland and bush covered hills, it is a place where town and country blend harmoniously." Eve het haar woorde goed gekies.

Vandag lok Bathurst 'n oorvloed van mense wat 'n rustige en ontspanne leefstyl verkies; skrywers, akademici, geskiedskrywers, kunstenaars, pottebakkers, wewers, boekversamelaars, plantversamelaars, 'n vervaardiger van skoonheidsmiddels uit essensiële olies, handwerkers van alle soorte - stadsmense wat verhuis het na die hart van 'n landbougemeenskap van pynappel, melk en in toenemende mate wildboere.

Bathurst is ook die plek vanwaar die plase van die 1820 Setlaars uitgemeet is, vanaf 'n uitkykpunt bekend as Thornridge net buite Bathurst. Tot vandag toe onderhou die dorpsmense 'n toposkoop wat bestaan uit 'n sirkel van gedenkplate wat in al die rigtings wys. Elke gedenkplaat dui aan die naam van die skip met sy kaptein, die name van die families aan boord, met hul leier, en 'n pyl wat wys watter afstand en in watter rigting elke groep getrek het om hul toegekende grond te vind.

As jy daar bo op die rand staan, sien jy plase in alle rigtings. As dit 'n helder dag is kan jy tot by die see sien. Dit is in hierdie uithoek van die Kaapkolonie, begrens aan die ooste deur die Groot Visrivier, waar arm en desperate Engelse bereid was om na 3 maande op see en daarna 'n trek met net hul karige besittings, 'n span osse en vergesel van 'n paar landgenote, op vlaktes waar wild in oorvloed voorgekom het en onder die arendsoë van Xhosakrygsmanne wat bereid was om alles in die stryd te werp om hul grond te beskerm, te probeer om 'n paar gewasse te kweek en 'n paar vee aan te hou om sodoende 'n bestaan te maak in 'n vreemde land. Die uitsig is asemrowend en so ook die besef van die moed, deursettingsvermoë en volharding wat dit moes verg om dit te bereik. Begraafplase plek plek op plase is vol grafte van kinders en babas.

Maar waar daar 'n Engelsman is, is daar 'n pub. iI die vroeë 1820s het een van die Setlaars, ene Thomas Hartley, 'n smidswinkel en 'n huis gebou in Bathurst. Teen 1832 het hy 'n herberg langs die smidswinkel gebou. Die herberg is hoog aangeslaan en ten spyte van die aangrensende smidswinkel is die kamers op die rekening aangedui as "Subscription Rooms for Gentlemen".

Die herberg het sy huidige naam eers 100 jaar later gekry toe soldate van die Royal Air Force gehuisves is in wat nou bekend staan as 43 Air School, 12km buite Port Alfred. Hulle het besluit om die herberg op Bathurst te vernoem na hul plaaslike pub in Engeland en gevolglik het die Bathurst Inn die Pig and Whistle (www.pigandwhistle.co.za) geword.

Soos met meeste van die Oos Kaapse dorpe, is die inwoners van Bathurst gelok deur 'n alternatiewe leefstyl. Gevolglik word ou geboue bewaar. Die Metodiste kerk is voltooi in 1837; terwyl die Anglikaans kerk, ook gebou in 1837, die oudste onveranderde kerk in Suid Afrika is.

Hierdie kerke is albei nasionale monumente, asook die water aangedrewe wolmeul wat in 1821 gebou is deur Samuel Bradshaw en ten volle herstel is in 1967.

Vandag oorweeg potensiële kopers die nabyheid en beskikbaarheid van geriewe soos skole, hospitale, winkelsentrums, stadsligte, teaters en restaurante. Dit is SEEFF se mening dat Bathurst se aantreklikheid verder strek as net 'n rustige leefstyl in 'n dorpie met historiese aantreklikhede om van te kies en te keur. Iemand wat 'n woonhuis of 'n aftreehuis wil koop of wat eiendom slegs as 'n belegging wil koop moet Bathurst se nabyheid aan die Sonskynkus in ag neem. Eerstens is dit 12km vanaf Port Aflred en 42km vanaf Grahamstad, waar daar Netcare Hospitale, uitstekende privaat en openbare skole, inkopiesentrums, 'n wye reeks winkels en restaurante is om in meeste behoeftes te voorsien. Vir enige verdere behoeftes is die twee kusstede Port Elizabeth en Oos Londen binne 'n gerieflike 90 minute se ry vanaf die dorp. Vir kultuurvrate is daar Grahamstad met hul jaarlikse Nasionale Kunstefees en Wetenskapsfees.

Daar is die Rhodes musiekdepartement, 'n bedrywige musiekvereniging en soveel meer.

Bathurst is nie blootgestel aan die negatiewe invloed van seelug soos by die kus en die gevolglike verwering van huis, voertuig en ander besittings nie. Bathurst is 'n ideale klein plattelandse dorpie om in te belê of dit nou 'n vakansiehuis of 'n permanente woning is. SEEFF bied 'n reeks eiendomme te koop aan wat aan jou vereistes sal voldoen: residensiële standplase om 'n nuwe huis te bou, ouwêreld plattelandse huise, huise wat reggemaak kan word, luukse argitekontwerpte huise, plase en grond.