The Honoured Dead Memorial
Sir Herbert Baker's sandstone memorial to the defenders of Kimberley — and the famous "Long Cecil" gun built during the siege.
Standing at a prominent traffic circle on the eastern edge of the city, the Honoured Dead Memorial is one of Kimberley's most striking landmarks and a moving reminder of the Anglo-Boer War's Siege of Kimberley.
Quick facts
- Memorial Road / Dalham Road circle, Kimberley
- About a 5-minute drive from Milner House
- Open public landmark — view any time
- Designed by Sir Herbert Baker
A memorial to the siege
During the South African (Anglo-Boer) War, Kimberley endured a siege of 124 days between October 1899 and February 1900. The Honoured Dead Memorial was raised to commemorate those who died defending the town. It was designed by the celebrated architect Sir Herbert Baker — also responsible for the Union Buildings in Pretoria — in a dignified classical style, with the names of the fallen inscribed around its base and an inscription composed by Rudyard Kipling.
"Long Cecil"
The memorial's most remarkable feature sits at its foot: Long Cecil, a field gun designed and built inside the De Beers workshops by American engineer George Labram during the siege itself, when the town was cut off and outgunned. Named after Cecil John Rhodes, the gun fired on the besieging forces and became a symbol of the town's defiance. It remains mounted at the memorial today, alongside shells from the siege.
Visiting
As an open public monument, the Honoured Dead Memorial can be seen at any time and takes only a few minutes to appreciate — ideal to combine with a visit to the nearby Big Hole or a walk through Kimberley's heritage homes. It is a short drive from Milner House.
The Honoured Dead Memorial — visitor questions
What is the Honoured Dead Memorial in Kimberley?
It is a sandstone memorial commemorating those who died defending Kimberley during the Siege of Kimberley, which ran from October 1899 to February 1900 in the South African War. It stands at the Memorial Road and Dalham Road circle and is a public landmark you can view at any time, free of charge.
Who designed the Honoured Dead Memorial?
Sir Herbert Baker, one of the most influential architects to work in South Africa, designed it in a classical style modelled on a Greek tomb. It was commissioned by Cecil John Rhodes and completed in 1904.
What did Rudyard Kipling contribute to the Honoured Dead Memorial?
Rudyard Kipling wrote the inscription carved into the memorial. Its closing line — "This for a charge to our children in sign of the price we paid" — is his, and it is the reason the memorial is often cited in discussions of Kipling's South African work.
What is the gun at the base of the Honoured Dead Memorial?
That is "Long Cecil", a 4.1-inch gun built inside the De Beers workshops during the siege itself by the American engineer George Labram, because the town had no artillery capable of answering the Boer guns. It was mounted at the memorial's base afterwards.
Stay Nearby at Milner House
A 5-star guesthouse in the heart of Kimberley — en-suite rooms, full breakfast, a heated pool and secure parking, minutes from the city's historic sites.
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