Fort Beaufort

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Fort Beaufort is a small town in the Amatole District of South Africa's Eastern Cape Province, Fort Beaufort is named after the Duke of Beaufort, father of Lord Charles Henry Somerset, first British governor of the Cape Colony (1814 to 1826).

Founded as a British military stronghold in 1819 against Xhosa warriors, the town was established in 1837 and became a municipality in 1838. Military historians would be interested to know that Fort Beaufort is the site of what's probably the world's only inland example of a Martello Tower, a small, conical, Napoleonic era fort commonly used in coastal defence of England and France.

Fort Beaufort serves as a mini-'dormitory' for academic staff and students of Fort Hare University, based in the nearby town of Alice, and is also close to sulphur springs.

Schools in the area include Healdtown Comprehensive School.

	v • d • e Municipalities and Communities of Amatole District Municipality, Eastern Cape District Seat: East London
Local municipalities	Buffalo City • Mnquma • Mbhashe • Amahlathi • Nkonkobe • Ngqushwa • Great Kei • Nxuba
Cities and towns	Cathcart • Stutterheim • Kei Road • East London • King William’s Town • Mdantsane • Bhisho • Komga • Kei Mouth • Hagga-Hagga • Morgan’s Bay • Chintsa • Dutywa • Willowvale • Elliotdale • Gcuwa • Nqamakwe • Centane • Peddie • Hamburg • Seymour • Fort Beaufort • Alice • Middledrift • Bedford • Adelaide • Hogsback