Overview

Nxuba, previously called Cradock, is a Karoo town in the Eastern Cape set on the banks of the Great Fish River, surrounded by the semi-arid plains and flat-topped hills of the interior plateau. It is the gateway to the Mountain Zebra National Park and is known for its striking Victorian architecture, including a Dutch Reformed church modelled on London's St Martin-in-the-Fields. The town remains an important regional centre for livestock and wool farming. 

Our map includes both the old town centre and the newer township of Lingelihle to the south east. The Great Fish River runs along the western and southern edge of the town and the Bankberg mountain range further to the south. All of the buildings and road & rail infrastructures are shown.

Map Design and Paper

The map is an original creation by our design studio at Africa Map Art. Data for this map has been compiled from various up-to-date sources including from the OpenStreetMap contributors. The map is available in four styles and on the following two paper options and canvas: a high quality 210gsm heavyweight coated paper with a matte finish, which achieves excellent colour and resolution and is perfect for framing;  a 260gsm photo paper with a smooth satin finish;  and a 350gsm strengthened canvas. All of the options are shipped in a cardboard roll for protection. The canvas is unstretched and unframed.

We welcome personalisation and customisation requests, such as highlighting of specific buildings or features, adjusting the colour scheme, or the addition of text and images.  Please contact us for a quote.

History

Nxuba was founded in 1813 as a British military post on the Great Fish River, which at the time formed the contested frontier between colonial territory and the Xhosa-speaking peoples to the east. Its position at a strategic river crossing shaped its early importance, and the town was laid out on a formal grid — the regular, geometric street pattern typical of planned colonial settlements. As commercial sheep and cattle farming spread through the Karoo, Nxuba grew into a busy regional market town.