| Southwell | |
| Pushpin Map: | South Africa Eastern Cape#South Africa |
| Coordinates: | -33.5358°N 26.6886°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | South Africa |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Eastern Cape |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Sarah Baartman |
| Subdivision Type3: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name3: | Ndlambe |
| Subdivision Type4: | Main Place |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Leader Title: | Councillor |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Black African |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Coloured |
| Demographics1 Title3: | Indian/Asian |
| Demographics1 Title4: | White |
| Demographics1 Title5: | Other |
| Timezone1: | SAST |
| Utc Offset1: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code (street) |
| Postal2 Code Type: | PO box |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
Southwell is a settlement within the former farming district of the same name, about 23km (14miles) from Port Alfred and about 35km (22miles) from Grahamstown.
Established in 1849 as a mission station, it was located at Lombard's Post,[1] a fortified farmhouse originally granted to Pieter Lombard in 1790 as a leningsplaas (loan farm).[2] Canon Henry Waters was the first resident minister.[1]
In the mid-19th century it hosted a Xhosa school, which was closed down during Mlanjeni's War.[3]
The local St James Anglican Church was built in 1870.[4] [5] The foundation stone was laid by Nathaniel Merriman, Archdeacon of Grahamstown.[1]
In 1925 a survey was done for a railway branch from Martindale to Southwell. The railway was never built.