Our History

Rokeby was built in 1840 by Captain G.N. Cauthy and is one of the landmarks of Landour. The house and two acre estate are situated slightly above and to the east of St. Paul’s Church and the old cantonment parade ground, which is now Char Dukan. Like many houses in Mussoorie, its name is taken from the writings of Sir Walter Scott, whose book-length poem describes heroic battles near the original Rokeby Castle in England.

Several years after it was built, the house came into the possession of Lt. Col. Reilly, who also owned Ralston, another residence in Mussoorie. In 1878, Reilly mortgaged both properties for Rs. 25,000 to Frederick ‘Pahari’ Wilson, a controversial adventurer and entrepreneur, who was the inspiration for Rudyard Kipling’s classic story, “The Man Who Would Be King”. Wilson minted his own gold coins and carved out his personal domain along the headwaters of the Ganga, at Harsil, harvesting timber and introducing apples to the Himalayas. Pahari Wilson and his Garhwali wife, Gulabi, are buried in the cemetery on Camel’s Back Road.

In 1891, Rokeby was purchased from the estate of Wilson’s son, Henry, for Rs. 10,000, by Rev. J.S. Woodside, one of the founders of Woodstock School. It then passed into the hands of Dr. J. Symington, of Carthage North Carolina, who sold it to the Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1930. They converted it into a boarding house for young missionary ladies who were studying Urdu and Hindi at the Landour Language School. The first managers of this boarding house were Miss A.E. Lawson and Miss Ida Farmer. Methodist missionaries continued to operate the property as a guest house throughout the rest of the 20th century.

Today, Rokeby has been carefully restored to its original glory. This heritage building is resplendent with character in its elaborate brick arches and niches, intricate stone walls, real wood floors and beams, and cosy fireplaces. Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, the traditions of bygone years—where colonial officers, renegade soldiers of fortune and pious miss sahibs lived under one roof—can still be felt. An air of mystery beckons visitors.

Rokeby Manor, the ‘Hamlet in the Hills’ is a luxury hotel in the heart of Landour. The hotel is situated at 7500 feet paired with impeccable old world charm. Enjoy peace and tranquility high amongst the magnificent landscape for a memorable experience.

In 1840, Captain G.N. Cauthy purchased a 2-acre patch in the quiet hills of Landour and built a grand mansion. He named it after a book-length poem of Sir Walter Scott which describes heroic battles fought near Rokeby Castle in England – “I saw his melancholy smile, When, full opposed in front, he knew, Where Rokeby’s kindred banner flew…”

After completion, the bungalow was passed onto Lt. Col. Reilly, who mortgaged Rokeby and Ralston – his lavish Mussoorie estate – for Rs.25,000 to controversial adventurer Fredrick ‘Pahari’ Wilson.

After the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny, Wilson deserted the British army, came to Garhwal and married a local lady at Harsil. Gaining notoriety for smuggling fur, musk and timber, he carved out a personal domain along the headwaters of the Ganga. He chopped forests of deodar, floated the logs down the Ganga and supplied them to the British government for making railway sleepers from Rishikesh to Calcutta! He introduced apples to the Himalayas, minted his own gold coins and was the inspiration for Rudyard Kipling’s classic tale, ‘The Man Who Would Be King’. Pahari Wilson and his Garhwali wife, Gulabi, are buried in the cemetery on Camel’s Back Road.

His adventurous spirit left a profound mark on Rokeby and as tribute, our multi-purpose meeting room is named Wilson’s Chamber after this multi-faceted personality. In 1891, Wilson’s son Henry sold Rokeby for Rs.10,000 to Rev. JS Woodside, one of the founders of Woodstock School. By 1930, it changed hands to the Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church and was converted into a boarding house for young missionary ladies studying Urdu and Hindi at the Landour Language School. For most of 20th century, it functioned as a guest house under the Methodist missionaries.

While several old residences around town have crumbled due to neglect, Rokeby Manor is continually inspired by its glorious past and serves as an iconic landmark even today. Presently managed by the Mars Group, Rokeby has been restored to its former glory, with several of its charming features retained – Victorian fireplaces, rustic brick arches, stone walls and wooden flooring. Our restaurant is named after the author Emily Eden, Governor-General Lord George Eden’s sister, who spent considerable time in Landour in the 1830s and penned several memoirs here. Landour’s literary love affair continues with several writers like Ruskin Bond and Steve Alter making it their home.