This small town became world famous between 1899 and 1900 as a result of its four month besiegement by Boer forces and has since become known as 'Siegetown'.

It was originally called Windsor but was renamed Ladysmith after the wife of the Governor of the Cape - Lady Juana Maria de los Dolores de Leon Smith. The little town was a crossroads for transport riders between Port Natal (Durban) and the Transvaal. In 1886 the railway reached the town.

During the siege, food became very scarce and many of the 30,000 inhabitants died from enteric fever. In the final month of the siege, 28 British soldiers a day were being buried at the Intombi Hospital. Many other victims of the siege are buried on Cemetery Hill.