An edifice of frontier war history

ON July 15 1823, Captain Thomas Cowdery was granted land between High Street and the first kloof to the north and down to the Kowie River bank in the south.

In 1834, Kowie House was built and was probably used as a temporary barracks during the sixth Frontier War, which was fought between 1834 and 1835. The house, situated on 80 acres, comprised seven living rooms, as well as a kitchen and two cellars. In addition, stables and servants quarters were erected.

The roof was constructed of slate which was used as ballast for the ships that travelled from Britain. The house was built of stone, presumably from the same stone that was used to build the canals on the banks of the Kowie River.