From ancient times the old town has been a seaport. (The Cuddalore Government Museum in Manjakuppam keeps archeological evidence of Roman trade at Cuddalore).
European occupation
Through the centuries, Cuddalore has been subject to a number of foreign powers including the Netherlands, Portugal, France and more recently, the British. In the 1600s, the French and English came to Cuddalore for trade and business. The French established a settlement at Pondicherry and the British at Cuddalore. The French and English, while engaged in the Seven Years' War, fought the naval "Battle of Cuddalore" on 29 April 1758. It was an indecisive battle between a British squadron, under Vice-Admiral George Pocock and a French squadron, under Comte d'Aché. British casualties were 29 killed and 89 wounded, while France lost about 600 men. From 1789 to 1794, there was further unrest in Cuddalore due to the War of American Independence and the Second Anglo-Mysore War culminating in the siege of Cuddalore after which the town was returned to Britain as part of a peace treaty. Some streets in Cuddalore retain British names such as Clive street, Wellington street, Lawrence road and Imperial road
