<P> Fort St George (or historically, White Town) is the name of the first English (later British) fortress in India, founded in 1644 at the coastal city of Madras, the modern city of Chennai . The construction of the fort provided the impetus for further settlements and trading activity, in what was originally an uninhabited land . Thus, it is a feasible contention to say that the city evolved around the fortress . The fort currently houses the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly and other official buildings . The fort is one of the 163 notified areas (megalithic sites) in the state of Tamil Nadu . </P> <P> The East India Company (EIC), which had entered India around 1600 for trading activities, had begun licensed trading at Surat, which was its initial bastion . However, to secure its trade lines and commercial interests in the spice trade, it felt the necessity of a port closer to the Malaccan Straits, and succeeded in purchasing a piece of coastal land, originally called Chennirayarpattinam or Channapatnam, where the Company began the construction of a harbour and a fort . The fort was completed on 23 April 1644 at a cost of £ 3000, coinciding with St George's Day, celebrated in honour of the patron saint of England . The fort, hence christened Fort St George, faced the sea and some fishing villages, and it soon became the hub of merchant activity . It gave birth to a new settlement area called George Town (historically referred to as Black Town), which grew to envelop the villages and led to the formation of the city of Madras . It also helped to establish English influence over the Carnatic and to keep the kings of Arcot and Srirangapatna, as well as the French forces based at Pondichéry, at bay . In 1665, after the EIC received word of the formation of the new French East India Company, the fort was strengthened and enlarged while its garrison was increased . </P> <P> According to the 17th century traveller Thomas Bowrey, Fort St. George was: </P> <P> "without all dispute a beneficiall place to the Honourable English India Company, and with all the Residence of theire Honourable Agent and Governour all of their Affaires Upon this Coast and the Coast of Gingalee, the Kingdoms also of Orixa, (Orissa) Bengala (Bengal), and Pattana (Patna), the said Governour and his Councell here resideigne, for the Honour of our English Nation keepinge and maintainneinge the place in great Splendour, Civil and good Government, Entertaineinge nobly all Foraign Embassadors, and provideinge great quantities of Muzlinge (Muslin) Callicoes (Calico) &c. to be yearly transported to England ." </P>

Which among the following was the first fort constructed by british in india