Mountain View Country Inn

16/10/2026

2017 – LADY GREY – MOVIES - FIVE FINGERS FOR MARSEILLES

The striking, rugged landscapes of Lady Grey in the Eastern Cape, nestled dramatically in the foothills of the Witteberg mountains near the Lesotho border, found global acclaim as the backdrop for South Africa’s premier neo-Western thriller, Five Fingers for Marseilles. From being a mere passive filming location, the town—and specifically its vibrant "Top" Location township—became a living, breathing character in the film, forever altering how this historic settlement views itself and is seen by the world.
Discovering 'Top' Location

When filmmakers Michael Matthews and Sean Drummond stumbled upon Lady Grey during a chance detour in 2009, they immediately knew they had found their cinematic canvas. Driving straight up the hill to "Top" Location, they encountered a sweeping township integrated into one of the most breathtaking mountain vistas in South Africa.

In the film, "Top" Location was reimagined as "Railway," a fictional community adjacent to the town of Marseilles (portrayed by Lady Grey itself, with the local Lady Grey Station physically re-marked as Marseilles Station). The steep, winding dirt roads and panoramic views provided the perfect dramatic tension for a modern "Spaghetti Western," framing a story of oppression, brotherhood, and hard-fought redemption.

For Lady Grey, hosting this production was a profound exercise in identity building. Rather than superimposing an artificial Hollywood set onto the environment, the production team leaned entirely into the town's raw, authentic atmosphere. Local Eastern Cape talent filled the roles of the younger characters, creating a lasting bond between the community and the cinematic arts.
The physical renaming of key landmarks like the train station for the movie highlighted the town's incredible versatility, demonstrating that South Africa’s rural landscapes can tell expansive, genre-defying stories. By transforming the everyday streets of "Top" Location into the battlegrounds of the heroic Five Fingers, the film injected a powerful sense of pride and a bold new cultural legacy into the heart of Lady Grey.

Thanks Michael Matthews and Sean Drummond for helping to shape the character of our town, Lady Grey.

04/10/2026

2026-10-04 Enjoy our Crispy Fried Chicken Special

27/09/2026

Mountain View Staff at the Lady Grey Dam

25/09/2026

2026-09-25 Enjoy our Month End Braai Plate Special. Pork chop, Boerewors, Chips, Egg and Tomato Relish. Add a Braaibroodjie for only R15.

22/09/2026

Lady Grey - Witteberg Mountain Challenge 2026 - You can do it!

12/09/2026

PRAYER FOR LADY GREY

We are asking God to help us in our battle to keep the name of Lady Grey. We may ask and He listens to our prayers. We must just do our part and He will do the rest. Let us all pray for our town and our community.

Thank you Danél.

The last photo, the beautiful photo of the Passion Play, was borrowed from Grobler du Preez.

08/09/2026

2026-09-08 Stop Lady Grey Name Change - Statistics

Although our stories differ — our races, languages, cultures, beliefs, and political views — our hearts meet in one place: the beloved town we call Lady Grey. It is here that our differences become threads in a single tapestry, woven together by the love we share for this precious home.

Thank you to all who attended the meeting at the Mountain View Country Inn Conference Room, held at short notice on 2 September. An astonishing total of 71 people from the community, in and around Lady Grey came to support the prevention of the name change for Lady Grey.

We have an attendance register, and I will send the online petition link to everyone on it once I have created a WhatsApp group. So far, our efforts have focused on people we could reach through Facebook.

As of 8 September 2026 at 22:00, our online petition has reached an impressive 684 signatures. Thank you to everyone who has signed and shared it. This number should grow once the WhatsApp group for meeting attendees has been created and informed. I also plan to share the petition link with other groups. Please continue supporting the Stop Lady Grey Name Change cause by sharing the link with your Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram friends and groups.

I will keep you informed about how and when you can get involved in our other efforts to prevent the name change.
Please remember that nothing stops you from taking initiative and pursuing your own ideas to help prevent the Lady Grey name change. We need to approach this effort from every angle.

A GREAT THANK YOU TO ALL WHO SIGNED THE PETITION

Please keep sharing the link

08/09/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1DsUpEwmDr/

06/09/2026

The online petition is one of the weapons (approaches) we will use to fight the battle to
Stop Lady Grey Name Change. Thank you for your guidance, Dain Preller.
I created the petition and am sharing it as widely as possible. I cannot fight this battle alone, so please sign it and share it with your friends.
After you sign, you will receive an email to confirm your signature.
I can track the petition’s progress and will keep you updated.
Please follow the link. This photo (not Lady Grey) is the link of the Petition Page.

Urge the Eastern Cape Geographical Names Committee to keep the name Lady Grey