The Blockhouse - Prior Grange, Springfontein

While staying at the Prior Grange Guest House in Springfontein, we learned that the owner, Black de Swardt, had restored one of the many blockhouses built by the British soldiers during the Anglo Boer War while they were stationed at Springfontein Junction around the turn of the century.  We were interested to go and visit it so made a stop one day during our site visit.

 We parked on the dirt road in front of the house and had to climb over the little metal stile to get over the fence.  Our long-pants thank you, Blackie, for putting it there!

Once over the stile, its a short walk up the slope to the house.  My colleague, David Anger is surveying the land from the front area, under the metal British flag that reminds us of who built this little building.  Any enemies in sight there David?

And here it is.  Blackie had found the original foundations for the building and scouted the area for the stones that were originally used to built it.  With some help, he managed to build up the rest of the foundation and erect the little stone house once more.  The original building also made use of corrugated iron as he has done here.

Inside it is interesting to see the old food cans lids that were found on the site with the names of the manufacturers on them.  Blackie has nailed them to the roof beams.

These "portholes" or loopholes as they are called, are all around the buidling, giving the soldiers a 360 degree view of the area.  Apparently 6 soldiers would be stationed in each block house at any one time.  It is quite cramped, cold and breezy in there so I can't imagine that it was very comfortable for them.

As well as the food cans lids, there are also some other metal objects nailed to the roof beams that were found near by.

And as we were coming out of the building, I noticed that the stone on the left side of the stairs had an inscription.  It said, "A Coy, 1st Roy Ir Fus, Nov 1901" and then I saw something really exciting.  The name beneath that was A. Alexander!  As I am an Alexander, and my father is very involved in updating our Family Tree, I immediately called him to tell him of my find.  As it turns out, A Alexander may not be my direct descendant but he could be a far flung relative.  Apparently, there are quite a few Alexanders in the town next to Springfontein, Trompsburg, but they are all Afrikaans, and by all accounts, the only Afrikaans Alexanders in the country.  It is possible that A Alexander was originally from this family and joined the Irish Fusiliers when they came to fight in South Africa against the Boer.  Anything is possible.  Black de Swardt has written a very interesting book about Springfontein at this time (956 days at the Junction) and he mentions this stone engraved by Alexander.  

So, I immersed myself in a little bit of history for a little while.  While standing in the door way of the block house, I could see the view that they must have seen when they were there and it kind of takes you back to those days.

The view, as you can see, was good, but today, the N1 high-way cuts right through the middle!  We should spare a thought for those soldiers who were stationed there and didn't have the benefit of a nice big paved roadway to use.  It was rough terrain and must have been difficult to navigate.