| Philipstown | |
| Pushpin Map: | South Africa Northern Cape#South Africa |
| Coordinates: | -30.4333°N 52°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | South Africa |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Northern Cape |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Pixley ka Seme |
| Subdivision Type3: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name3: | Renosterberg |
| Subdivision Type4: | Main Place |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Leader Title: | Councillor |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 44.12 |
| Population Total: | 3365 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Racial makeup (2011) |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Black African |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 36.3% |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Coloured |
| Demographics1 Info2: | 58.5% |
| Demographics1 Title3: | Indian/Asian |
| Demographics1 Info3: | 0.4% |
| Demographics1 Title4: | White |
| Demographics1 Info4: | 4.5% |
| Demographics1 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics1 Info5: | 0.3% |
| Demographics Type2: | First languages (2011) |
| Demographics2 Title1: | Afrikaans |
| Demographics2 Info1: | 70.2% |
| Demographics2 Title2: | Xhosa |
| Demographics2 Info2: | 27.0% |
| Demographics2 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics2 Info5: | 2.8% |
| Timezone1: | SAST |
| Utc Offset1: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code (street) |
| Postal Code: | 8795 |
| Postal2 Code Type: | PO box |
| Postal2 Code: | 8795 |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
Philipstown is a town in the eastern Karoo region of South Africa.
Town 56 km north-east of De Aar. It was established in May 1863 on the farm Rietfontein and became a municipality in August 1876. Named after Sir Philip Wodehouse (1811–1887), Governor of the Cape Colony from 1861 to 1870.[2]
At the jailhouse to the west of town is the building where a small force of the 65th Imperial Yeomanry and Native Police held off a large force of General De Wet's men during the Second Anglo-Boer War. During this action, Corporal William Sopp of the Imperial Yeomanry was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for courage under fire when he rode out from this building to warn the approaching Australian Bushmen who were coming to relieve them that there were hundreds of Boers lying in wait for them. The Boers fired at this lone horseman as he raced to the Australians then raced back, arriving back at the jail without injury. This caused De Wet to delay his movements for several hours and turned him back towards a large pursuing British column.