Middleton, South Africa

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}} {{Use South African English|date=January 2015}} {{Infobox settlement | name = Middleton | image_skyline = Old Church 1903 Middleton-001.jpg | image_caption = Old church in Middleton, built 1903 | pushpin_map = South Africa Eastern Cape#South Africa | coordinates = {{coord|32.949|S|25.816|E|region:ZA|display=inline,title}} | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = [[South Africa]] | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_name1 = [[Eastern Cape]] | subdivision_type2 = District | subdivision_name2 = [[Sarah Baartman District Municipality|Sarah Baartman]] | subdivision_type3 = Municipality | subdivision_name3 = [[Blue Crane Route Local Municipality|Blue Crane Route]] | subdivision_type4 = Main Place | established_title = Established | leader_title = Councillor | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = | population_total = | population_density_km2 = auto  | demographics_type1 = | demographics1_title1 = [[Bantu peoples of South Africa|Black African]] | demographics1_info1 = | demographics1_title2 = [[Coloureds|Coloured]] | demographics1_info2 = | demographics1_title3 = [[Indian South African|Indian]]/[[Asian South African|Asian]] | demographics1_info3 = | demographics1_title4 = [[White South African|White]] | demographics1_info4 = | demographics1_title5 = Other | demographics1_info5 =  | demographics_type2 = | demographics2_footnotes = | demographics2_title1 = | demographics2_info1 = | demographics2_title2 = | demographics2_info2 = | demographics2_title3 = | demographics2_info3 = | demographics2_title4 = | demographics2_info4 = | demographics2_title5 = | demographics2_info5 =   | timezone1 = [[South African Standard Time|SAST]] | utc_offset1 = +2 | postal_code_type = [[List of postal codes in South Africa|Postal code]] (street) | postal_code = | postal2_code_type = [[Post-office box|PO box]] | postal2_code = 5810 | area_code_type = [[Telephone numbers in South Africa|Area code]] }} '''Middleton''' is a [[Hamlet (place)|hamlet]] in the [[Blue Crane Route Local Municipality]] of the [[Sarah Baartman District Municipality]] in the [[Eastern Cape]] province of [[South Africa]]. Middleton is situated on the banks of the [[Great Fish River|Fish River]] off the [[N10 (South Africa)|N10 road]] and is about {{convert|30|km|sigfig=1}} south of [[Cookhouse (village)|Cookhouse]].

==History==

Middleton is located near Cookhouse and was first established in 1879 as a train station to act as a layover point between larger towns. At the turn of the 20th century, the Middleton complex was developed by Mr George Webster, a blacksmith by trade. The site played a very important part in those transport days.

In 1901 he donated land for the building of a church and the little church was built as a Methodist Church in 1903. At the time Middleton comprised a hotel, smithy building, general dealer’s shop, church school and 500 [[morgen]] of veld. In 1992 the church became part of the All Saint’s United Church and it’s utilised by the residents of Middelton regularly. The old train station has now been converted into a pub.

The Noupoort Christian Care Center owns the hamlet of Middleton. This center runs a [[rehabilitation center]] for people suffering from substance [[addiction]]. The center provides recovering addicts with jobs in maintaining the grounds and establishments of Middleton.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ciara.co.za/ciara/about/|title=About|website=Middleton Ciara|language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-04}}</ref>

==Buildings== The most notable building in Middleton is the old train station, which has now been converted into a pub. The train station was built in 1879, and is the oldest standing building in the small hamlet. Another notable building is the All Saint's United Church, a stone church first built as a Methodist congregation in 1903. The architecture of the older buildings in Middleton is distinctly [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]], especially the train station-turned-pub.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sa-venues.com/attractionsec/middleton.php|title=ABOUT MIDDLETON}}</ref>

==Attractions==

The old station pub offers usual pub fare along with a play area and [[petting zoo]] for children. Middleton also has B&B and camping facilities such as the Hunters Lodge and the B&B at the Manor.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.westerncape.gov.za/general-publication/places-slave-rememberance-western-cape|title=Overberg|website=Western Cape Government|language=en|access-date=2019-03-04}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bluegnu.co.za/10463-middleton.php|title=Middleton - Towns and Cities in the Eastern Cape|website=www.bluegnu.co.za|access-date=2019-03-04}}</ref>

Travellers consider Middleton a quaint stopover on their way to other attractions. The [[Addo Elephant National Park]] and a number of private game reserves are less than an hour's drive south along the N10 highway from Middleton. [[Grahamstown]] is an hour's drive southeast. Two hours to the northeast are the towns [[Graaff-Reinet]] and [[Nieu-Bethesda]], which are home to many attractions including the [[Camdeboo National Park]], the [[Nieu-Bethesda]] [[The Owl House (museum)|Owl House]], and the Kitching Fossil Exploration Centre. An hours drive to the south will take travellers to [[Port Elizabeth]] and on to the [[Garden Route]] on the south coast.

==See also== * [[List of heritage sites in Graaff-Reinet]] * [[George, Western Cape]] * [[Knysna]] * [[Plettenberg Bay]] * [[Mossel Bay]] * [[Bloukrans Bridge Bungy]] * [[Tsitsikamma]]

==References== <references />

==External links== {{Wikivoyage|Nieu-Bethesda}} {{wikivoyage-inline|Graaff-Reinet}} {{Wikivoyage|Garden Route}} {{commons category|Middleton, Eastern Cape}} * [http://www.bluecraneroute.co.za/ Official website]

[[Category:Populated places in the Blue Crane Route Local Municipality]] [[Category:Populated places established in 1875]] [[Category:Karoo]] [[Category:Great Fish River]]