The Honoured Dead Memorial

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.

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.