KESTELL...lies amidst a patchwork of maizelands and cattle farms typical of the eastern Free State. The town was established in 1905 and named after a Dutch Reformed minister, Reverend John Daniel Kestell. Kestell is noted for its beautiful sandstone buildings, dominated by the Dutch Reformed Church, which was commissioned in 1909 and consecrated on 31 March 1928. During the South African War, the town saw fighting at nearby Groenkop, when a Boer force under the command of General Christiaan de Wet launched a surprise attack. Leaving their horses at the base of Groenkop, the Boers ascended the mountain under cover of darkness and attacked the British forces on Christmas Day 1900. British casualties were 58 killed, 84 wounded and 206 captured, while the Boers lost 14 men. |
