Garden House. It stood on a raised spot west of the Fort, and became in course of time the country house of the Governor.
The French were responsible for the change of site. They levelled the old Garden House to the ground during their occupation of Fort St. George, 1746-49. Historically it was a loss. The original building had seen a long succession of Governors. It was associated with Yale and Pitt, and is mentioned in the letters of the latter. Pitt was interested in the garden itself, and made experiments with vegetable seeds sent out from England.
When Madras was restored to the English in 1749, it was thought advisable by the authorities not to rebuild the house on the old site. It was too close to the native town, and there was no longer any necessity to be so near the Fort walls. The Governor in Council decided to buy the residence of a Portuguese merchant which was in the market. The house stood on the banks of the river south of the Fort, and about a mile from it ; and it formed the nucleus of the present handsome building.
The first few years of its new ownership saw troublous times. The mansion fell into the hands of the French under Lally in 1758; it was much
