Hogsback, Eastern Cape
| Hogsback | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s): "Where the fairies live" | |
 Hogsback
Hogsback
Hogsback
Hogsback shown within Eastern Cape
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| Coordinates: 32°35′53″S 26°56′17″E / 32.598°S 26.938°ECoordinates: 32°35′53″S 26°56′17″E / 32.598°S 26.938°E | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Eastern Cape |
| District | Amathole |
| Municipality | Raymond Mhlaba |
| Established | 1883 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 13.78 km2 (5.32 sq mi) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 1,029 |
| • Density | 75/km2 (190/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • Black African | 65.7% |
| • Coloured | 2.2% |
| • Indian/Asian | 0.5% |
| • White | 30.5% |
| • Other | 1.1% |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • Xhosa | 63.5% |
| • English | 27.7% |
| • Afrikaans | 6.0% |
| • Other | 2.9% |
| PO box | 5721 |
| Area code | 045 |
| Website | http://www.hogsback.com/ |
Hogsback is a town in the Amathole Mountains in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.
There are two (or maybe more) theories as how the village received its name. Some think it was named for Captain Hogg, Commander of Fort Michell. Some others think that it is because one of the three peaks that overlook the village, when seen from a certain angle, resembles a Hog's Back (A hog's back is a geological term describing this particular rock formation).
The earliest known written reference to 'Hogsback' was found in the journal of the painter Thomas Baines, who passed the 'Hogs Back' while on his travels deeper inside South Africa in 1848. Besides the 'Hogsback', the highest peak in the area is the 1 954 m Gaika's Kop.
The nearby Xhosa tribes called the surrounding area Qabimbola (meaning 'red clay on the face') as the surrounding clay was used for face painting. Gaika's Kop was one of the Xhosa strongholds. British troops were later stationed here and a number of forts were built to guard the border with the Xhosa. One of these forts was Fort Michell, named after Colonel Michell of the Warwickshire regiment, who was at one point in charge of troops in the area. The name has since changed to Fort Mitchell. The outline of Fort Michell, and the first road from Fort Hare can still be seen.
The conflict between the British and Xhosa continued further north and a small settlement began to grow. Some of the first inhabitants of Hogsback were Summerton, Odendaal and Booysens. Thomas Summerton, a gardener from Oxford, has a legacy that survives in the local gardens and his attempts to re-create the English countryside. This can be seen in apple orchards, avenues lined with hazelnut, berry fruits and the flowering plants that have spread throughout the surrounding area. European flowers, bushes and trees include rhododendrons, azaleas, fruits and berries. He named his farm Cherrie Orchard and also built a furrow – Summerton's furrow – to carry water from a stream on Tor Doone.
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Wikipedia