Fort Ingwenya and Cemetery
Fort Ingwenya and Cemetery is a national monument. The Fort was built at the end of the 1896 Matabele Rebellion, or First Umvukela and is on a hill 330 metres in a north east direction from the old Ingwenya River Bridge where the Hunter's road cut by Thomas Baines crossed the river and then ran around the foot of the hill. Baines encountered the “fly belt” north of the Ingwenya River which explains why the Hunter’s road then turns east to avoid the tsetse flies which were fatal to his oxen.
Why Visit
This fort was built in September or early October 1896 under the supervision of Lieut-Col. (later Lord) Baden-Powell and is still in excellent condition.
The fort may not have been typical of most forts as the dry-stone walls appear to enclose a larger area than most. It was usual to have outside, but under cover of the fort, a double line of pole and dhaka huts which would house the garrison of probably about 25 men. Wagons, mess huts, telegraphist and hospital were usually also outside the fort as it was never expected that the forts themselves would ever have to resist prolonged attack as the Battles of Shangani River and Bembezi had shown the Matabele the futility of trying to attack laagers protected by Maxim guns.
A fort represented a show of force, a stronghold only occupied as a last resort. Collapsed dry-stone walling outside the Ingwenya fort may have been cattle kraals for keeping cattle confiscated from the Ndebele, or horse stabling.
The cemetery, 450 metres north east of the fort is reasonably intact with four of the original pioneer crosses still on site. Zimbabwe Historic Graveyards And Cemeteries
