The British established their supremacy in South India in 1795 and under their governance came the princely state of Travancore. Starting in 1800, East India Company appointed a Resident as Travancore's administrative head. Colonel Colin Macaulay was the first Resident followed by Colonel John Munro. During his tenure, Munro oversaw the land reclamation efforts in the delta where Kallada River joins Ashtamudi Lake, and he named the reclaimed island Munroe Island after him.Here in Munroe Island the Dutch Church is one of the old churches in Kerala. It was built in 1878, by the Dutch. The red brick church on the scenic banks of Lake Ashtamudi is a blend of Dutch-Kerala architecture.
