The Grange, Yercaud
This is
one of the oldest buildings in Yercaud, built sometime in the 1820's MD
Cockburn the then Collector established the first commercial plantation in this
area and planted Coffee, Oranges, Apples and other fruit trees brought from
South Africa. MD Cockburn introduced coffee from Arabia and apples and other
fruits from South Africa between 1820 and 1829.
It is
believed to have been the summer resort of Robert
Clive, general of the East India Company in the late 19th century. The other coffee
plantations in Tamil nadu are said to have originated from this humble
beginning. It is believed that this area was used as the summer resort in
1800's and a cellar used as repository. During the Sepoy Mutiny, great efforts
were made to strengthen the roof and ramparts were built with Gun emplacements
and 3 Canons were mounted at vantage points.
A large
cellar was made to hold provisions for about 6 months in case there was a long
siege and the Europeans of the Area had to hold off insurgents. But this never
happened and all was peaceful during those years. There is a well planned and
executed Resort alongside the Grange, set amidst coffee & Orange
plantations and Silver Oak Trees, a delightful get away for the well-heeled
traveller.
Today,
the castle-like structure is part of the privately-run Grange Resorts. It is
rumoured that Robert Clive came here as a young recruit and Yercaud’s weather
made him so homesick of England that he tried killing himself, but the gun
didn’t fire.
