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Blockhouse - Barton's Folly Hekpoort district, Gauteng

Date: c1900 Type: Fort Status: Extant   Click to view large map Coordinates: 25°55'02.43" S 27°37'14.98" E Alt: 1356m

The fort was built to overlook the town and concentration camps. The Building was erected during the South African War by the British Military, under the guidance of Major-General G Barton, who commanded British forces in this Area in 1901. Known in its time as Barton's Folly, it differs substantially from other blockhouses built by the British elsewhere in Southern Africa, and formed part of a defensive line which extended from Hekpoort and Maanhaarrand to the Magaliesberg. It was declared a National Monument under old National Monuments Council legislation on 16 March 1984. (South African History Online, accessed 2026 02 26) References: Green, Simon C . 2022. Anglo-Boer War blockhouses : a field guide. Johannesburg: Porcupine Press. pg 113-115