Matjiesfontein

The town of Matjiesfontein is a national monument. James Douglas Logan developed the Victorian buildings that make up the town as a health resort, and Matjiesfontein was the first village to have electricity and water-borne sewage.

Many high-ranking people, such as Cecil John Rhodes and Sir Randolph Churchill (father of Sir Winston Churchill), were seen at the resort. During the Anglo-Boer War, the British used Matjiesfontein as a base. At the same time, Logan built the Milner Hotel, whose turret was used as a lookout by the troops.

Matjiesfontein is reputed to be the most haunted town in South Africa. Two stories in particular are fascinating. The Logan family entertained visitors so often that they were always tolerant of the unseen residents. One particular unseen resident caused no trouble, except that he/she could not open doors and would rattle the doorhandles until some obliging member of the family would open it.

One day after Jennifer Buist's wedding, she was too engrossed in packing her gifts to let the ghost in, and the rattling reached an impatient crescendo. Eventually she threw the door open, saying "fine, come in if you must, don't make such a damn noise about it". She felt a puff of cold air rush past her and the ghost rattled its way through the window and was never heard or felt again.

Another ghost is supposed to be a wounded British soldier with his arm in a sling and a bloody bandage around his head, who stands at the turn-off to the Memorial Cemetery. Travellers, thinking he is injured, stop to help and he promptly vanishes. The Milner Hotel is also reputed to be haunted by a group of cheerful ghosts. Laughter is heard in empty rooms and the sound of billiards is heard when no one is there.

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