Barrackpore Cantonment 

Claudius Buchanan wrote that: 'I still reside at Barrackpore, where it is now probable I shall remain some years. But I must take no thought for to-morrow. Years, days, and hours are not mine. Moments, how sacred!' This is a quote from The Claudians: gardens, landscapes, reason and faith: John Claudius Loudon and Claudius Buchanan, Tom Turner (Kindle, 2024).

More about Barrackpore 

The site, on the banks of the Hooghly River, has been inhabited since prehistoric times. During the Mughal Period it was part of the Bengal Subah (province). In the 18th century, the British East India Company (BEIC) established its presence in Bengal. They built military barracks and other infrastructure to support administrative and military operations. It became an important cantonment for the British East India Company. Barrackpore was known for its cultural and social life. British officials and military officers built grand residences and gardens in Barrackpore, transforming it into a picturesque suburb of Calcutta. In 1801, the British Governor-General of India, Richard Wellesley, established his summer residence in Barrackpore, known as Government House.

Barrackpore was the location of Buchanan's first residence in Calcutta. As a military base it was safe and had a degree of familiarity. But Claudius Buchanan did not relish the company of soldiers and was very disappointed by their lack of interest in attending religious services. When the governing class began to build mansions in Barrackpore, including the Governer, it gained more appeal for Buchanan. He was not opposed to colonialism.