Bedford, Eastern Cape

Bedford is a rural town in the centre of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It was established in the mid-19th century when Sir Andries Stockenstroom sold portions of land from his farm Maastroom to raise funds for the restoration of his library, which had been burnt by British soldiers mistrustful of his attempts to broker peace in one of the Cape Frontier Wars. The farm is still there and open for visitors.

Bedford
Presbyterian Church in Bedford
Bedford Show map of Eastern Cape Bedford Show map of South Africa
Coordinates: 32°41′S 26°05′E
Country	South Africa
Province	Eastern Cape
District	Amathole
Municipality	Raymond Mhlaba
Established	1854[1]
Area [2]
• Total	14.6 km2 (5.6 sq mi)
Elevation	740 m (2,430 ft)
Population  (2011)[2]
• Total	8,770
• Density	600/km2 (1,600/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011) [2]
• Black African	68.9%
• Coloured	27.1%
• Indian/Asian	0.1%
• White	3.2%
• Other	0.7%
First languages (2011) [2]
• Xhosa	63.5%
• Afrikaans	29.7%
• English	4.5%
• Other	2.2%
Time zone	UTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)	5780
PO box	5780
Area code	046

It is located on the southern edge of the Winterberg mountain range, in the Smaldeel (a narrow strip of grass land running laterally from Fort Beaufort to Somerset East, renowned for its sweet grass). The town suffered a major decline in fortunes in the latter half of the 20th century before reviving itself around the turn of the millennium. It is regarded today as an artist's haven and retirement village.

The lack of industry in the town, while a boon to those hoping to escape the rat race, means that the town has a large unemployment rate. The woes of the poor are exacerbated by a high HIV-AIDS infection rate.

The Bedford Provincial Hospital is situated in Maitland Street, three blocks northwest of the town's centre.

Most tourists visit Bedford to experience true South African farm living.