Anchuthengu (Anjengo) Fort

About this place

Anchuthengu Fort, also known as Anjengo Fort, is a historic coastal fortification at Anchuthengu in Thiruvananthapuram district and one of the earliest surviving markers of the English East India Company’s presence in Kerala. The fort was established by the Company after receiving permission from the Queen of Attingal to set up a trading factory at Anchuthengu in 1684 and permission to construct a fort in 1690; the present fort was built in the late seventeenth century, with Kerala Tourism dating its construction to 1695. Anchuthengu occupied an important position between the Arabian Sea and the backwaters, allowing the English to maintain maritime and inland waterway connections and develop the settlement as a trading centre. The fort subsequently became an important military and commercial outpost, with a depot for military equipment and trading links with other centres along the Malabar coast. Its history is closely connected with the Attingal Rebellion of 1721, when local forces attacked the English settlement and besieged the fort in one of the significant early uprisings against English authority in Kerala. The fort also played a role during the Anglo-Mysore conflicts of the eighteenth century, when it was used as a storehouse for British ammunition. Architecturally, Anchuthengu Fort differs from some of Kerala’s larger and more elaborate fortifications. It is essentially an enclosed bastion with high laterite walls, four corner bastions, lookout points and entrances on the eastern and western sides. The ramparts, constructed from laterite blocks bonded with lime mortar, rise above the surrounding landscape and can be explored from the internal stairways and wall walkways. The fort’s position between the sea, the Attingal River and its estuary gives it a distinctive coastal setting, while the surrounding fishing village retains much of the character of Anchuthengu’s maritime landscape. The fort compound also contains gardens and historic tombstones, while a nearby cemetery preserves graves associated with the British settlement, including tombstones dating to the early eighteenth century. Other colonial-era landmarks in Anchuthengu include the historic factory remains, a lighthouse and the remnants of a British-built canal that once connected the settlement with Kollam for transporting goods by boat. Today, the protected monument offers visitors a compact but significant glimpse into the early history of European commercial expansion on the Malabar coast. Its combination of laterite fortifications, colonial history, sea-and-backwater surroundings and nearby heritage sites makes Anchuthengu an important destination for travellers interested in Kerala’s maritime and colonial past

🚆 Railway: Kadakkavur Railway Station — approximately 1.5 km from Anchuthengu; Varkala Railway Station is also a relevant railhead for the area.

✈️ Airport: Thiruvananthapuram International Airport — approximately 45–50 km from Anchuthengu, depending on the route.

🚌 Bus: Anchuthengu is accessible by road from Varkala and Kadakkavur, with local bus services operating through the surrounding area. Kerala Tourism places Anchuthengu about 8 km from Varkala in its location directory.

🏨 Stay: Hotels, homestays and other accommodation are available in Varkala and the surrounding coastal area.

✅ Notes: Anjengo Fort is a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India. The fort contains four bastions, high laterite walls, historic remains and tombstones. The nearby cemetery and Anchuthengu lighthouse can be combined with a visit to the fort. Visitor access and opening arrangements should be confirmed locally before travelling.