Barberton Manor Guest House
Hotel in Barberton

Barberton Manor Guest House, is a National Heritage and still in its original state, built in 1927 after a Sir Herbert Baker design, but offers modern day comfort. Their fossils can be found in the rocks around Barberton and attract many scientists every year. The spacious bed and breakfast in Mpumalanga, South Africa, is situated close to Swaziland (Mbabane) (40 km), 60 km from the Kruger Park\Kruger National Park and 45 km from Nelspruit (Kruger Mpumalanga Int. Airport).Barberton, a small town nestled in the Makwonja Mountains has a rich history: in the 1880's gold was found at Eureka City, which turned this small settlement into a booming town.It also is a place of geological interest: 3.5 billion years ago, the earliest lifeforms on earth lived in this area.

From archaeological sites dating back to as much as 400 BC and evidence of even earlier San/Bushman habitants, to traditional Swazi cultures and the later discovery of gold and the coming of the Europeans, Barberton represents everything that is truly African, in a unique colorful palate mix of heart and character. Most of it consists of low circular walls with evidence of temples and planetary observatories. The debate as to the age, origin and type of people who made these dwellings still caries on. For a brief moment in time a vibrant Eureka City sat on top of Sheba Hill, a plum pudding of gold. While Sherwood brought the commerce, Edwin Bray, prospector and miner extraordinaire made it happen. It was as though the chicken and the (golden) egg had arrived simultaneously. But it was not only Sheba Mine serviced from the fever free Eureka City. She must have had a most pleasing manner, but she also knew how to handle men. And like her rival, the Golden Dane, she refused to be inveigled into any permanent relationship, for she was out o make as much money as she could fast and get away to a milder climate. This was certainly quite an achievement in an environment where the good womenfolk outnumbered the others and where they must have had a lot to say about that brazen hussy. This, apparently, with little effect even on their daughters, who where given to copy Lizs hair-do, her mannerisms and her songs. Apparently one part of the old Cockney Liz story is true as confirmed by various people present. Not trained to do anything she told Ms. Fernandez, proprietress of the Red Light Canteen, that she would help in the bar and also sing and dance if needed. One of these ladies of the night was a blonde haired beauty known only as the Golden Dane. She was reportedly one of the most attractive ladies in town and seemed to be the main rival for Cockney Liz. She marched in with sjambok in hand and insisted that in front off all the witnesses in the bar, he should retract his statement. Although many in the Barberton community considered people like The Golden Dane and Cockney Liz brazen hussies, they gave a lot of their own time and money to uplift and help the fledgling digger community. A couple of days passed wherein she wasn't seen or heard of. Upon inspection, the diggers found her in her room in a coma as she was being attacked by the malaria fever. The diggers started to nurse her in turn, but two days later, she passed away and was no more. So, the Golden Dane passed away without anybody ever knowing her real identity. He grew up in Cape Town, and on the death of his father he became, at the age of 16, a clerk at Standard Bank. There Jock was killed one night when he rushed out to attack a stray dog who was raiding the fowl run. Others settled in an area free of Tsetse fly, between the mountains that today form part on the southern end of the Kruger National Park.