It is expected that the iconic fortress of St. David in Cuddalore, once the seat of British power in South India and home to their top elite, will soon get a new lease of life as the district administration works on a new conservation and restoration of the structure.
“The over 300-year-old heritage structure is currently under the management and control of the Arcot Lutheran Church. The district administration is working on a proposal to restore the structure at an estimated cost of ₹15 crore. We have sought permission from the ALC and they have responded positively. We will send the proposal to the state government in a week,” said District Collector Adhi Senthy Sibi Sibi.
“The administration will take the support of heritage experts and work on a conservation plan. The building will be restored while it remains under the control of the church. We have planned for adaptive reuse of the building by allowing tourists to consult with the church,” the collector added.
The official said restoration work on two heritage buildings — the Port Officer’s Building and the Medical Officer’s Building — located near Fort St. David have been approved and work will start soon. “We are planning a set of heritage structures,” he said.
Built by the former rulers of Gingee as a small fort, it came under the Marathas after Shivaji captured Gingee in 1677 and remained in their possession until 1690. “The fort and land near Devanampattinam were purchased by the British from the Marathas in 1690 through an interesting sale agreement, Perteayar of Arts Government, Professor Ashur Arts Arts. College, Cuddalore.
“Cannonballs were fired in all directions and all the land within range became a British settlement. The areas around the fort are still known as cannonball villages,” he said.
Elihu Yale, the then Governor of Madras, acquired the fort after protracted negotiations and named it Fort St. David after a Welsh saint.
Located on the banks of the Gedilam River, the fortifications were repaired in 1702 and remain the most important property on the Coromandel Coast after Fort St. George.
The fort also remained the capital of the British in South India for a short period after the conquest of Madras by La Bourdonnais in 1746.
“However, after Fort St. George was restored to the British by the French in 1748 under the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, Fort St. David began to lose its importance. It was recaptured by the French in 1758, but abandoned in 1761 after the capture of Pondicherry (now Puducherry) by the British. After it again returned to the possession of St. 85 David was restored, it failed to restore its former glory.” said Mr. Sethuraman.
In 1921, the Fort was bought by the Danish Missionary Society from the British. The structure is now managed by the ALC and is mainly used to conduct church meetings.
The structure suffered extensive damage after Cyclone Thane hit the Cuddalore coast in 2011. Strong winds broke off part of the fortified wall and structure.
Cuddalore has an impressive history as the coastal village of Devanampattinam, home to Fort St. David, initially served as the headquarters of the East India Company before being moved to Chennapattinam.
The fort forms part of a complex of several important buildings, including Robert Clive’s bungalow in the town.
Fort St. David preserves the unforgettable stories of many British officers, the most notable of whom is Major General Stringer Lawrence, who successfully defended Fort St. David before the French attacks; Robert Clive, who was appointed its governor in 1756; and Benjamin Robins, the Indian engineer-general who drew up plans for the fortifications of Fort St. David and died here with pen in hand.
Published – 05 Nov 2025 20:38 IST
