This website presents our knowledge and research on this important aspect of the Royal Collection. As of April 2026 it will not be regularly updated and new research on this topic will sit within the main website.

The Seven Years War (1756-63)

Manuscript and printed maps and views, correspondence and journals from the first global war

? JOHN CLEEVE PLEYDELL (1736-1816)

Plan of Carangoly, 1759 (Karunguli, Tamil Nadu, India) 12°33'00"N 79°54'00"E

1759 or later

Pencil, pen, ink and watercolour on paper | Scale: not stated. 1:2,000 approx. | RCIN 732126

A plan of Carangoly Fort and the British attack, 8-10 December 1759. Seven Years War (1756-63). Oriented with south-east to top (cardinal points).

The attribution to Pleydell is made on stylistic grounds. This is one of fourteen manuscript plans in the collection by Pleydell of fortifications and/or actions during the Third Carnatic War (1757-63), which was part of the Seven Years War. They were all placed, in Cumberland's original collection, in Volume IV/70/1-14. Their current RCIN numbers are 732125, 733001-8, 733016.a, 733020, 733027, 733028. It is not known when they were drawn but it must have been sometime before Cumberland's death in 1765. The source material for this set of plans is unknown; there is no evidence to suggest that Pleydell ever went to India.

Additional text: [left, down left side of map, in rectangular panel, a key, A-E, to troop positions and batteries, and a brief account of the recent military of the place from 1758 to the surrender in December 1759.]

Condition: no fold lines. Verso: brown discolouration along top edge; induced discolouration.
  • ? John Cleeve Pleydell (1736-1816) (draughtsman)

    Subject(s)

    Army-GB
    Army-France
  • Watermark: Fleur-de-lys in crowned shield, a ‘4’ suspending the letters L V G below; countermark: IV

    Mark, stamped: 896

    Condition: no fold lines. Verso: brown discolouration along top edge; induced discolouration

  • Scale: not stated. 1:2,000 approx.

    24.3 x 33.3 cm (neatline)

    24.3 x 45.9 cm (image)

    30.7 x 50.0 cm (sheet)

  • Manuscript title:

    Carangoly, Surrender’d Dec:r 10,th 1759. [bottom centre, outside border]

    Additional text:

    [left, down left side of map, in rectangular panel, a key, A-E, to troop positions and batteries, and a brief account of the recent military of the place from 1758 to the surrender in December 1759.]

    Annotations:

    George III heading: Carangoly 8-10 Dec. 1759.

    Other annotations: (Recto) [bottom right, ink:] IV/70./N:o 2; [along left edge, black pencil, erased:] Carangoly 8-10 Dec. 1759. (Verso) [along right edge, black pencil, erased and now illegible.]; [top left, black pencil, erased:] XVI/[?].

    George III catalogue entry:

    Carangoly A drawn Plan of the Fort of Carangoly, attacked by the English Army under the command of Col.l Coote, the 8.th and taken the 10.th of Dec.r 1759.

  • Subject(s)

    Karunguli, Tamil Nadu, India (12°33'00"N 79°54'00"E)

Page revisions

  • 24 July 2024