CHUNAR, or CHUNARGHUR  , a town and ancient fortress of India, in the district of Mirzapur, in the United Provinces, situated on the south bank of the Ganges . Pop . (1901) 9926 . The fort occupies a conspicuous site on the summit of an abrupt rock which commands the river . It was at one time a place of great strength, and still contains a magazine, and is fortified with batteries . In the old citadel on the height, the remains of a Hindu palace with some interesting carvings indicate the former importance of the place . The town, which consists of one or two straggling streets, contains a handsome English church . Chunar is first mentioned in the 16th century, when in possession of Sing Joanpore . In 1530 it became the residence of Shere Shah the Afghan, and forty-five years later was recovered by the emperor Akbar after sustaining a siege of six months . It fell into the hands of the English under General Carnac in 1763 after a prolonged resistance which caused considerable loss to the assailants . A treaty with the nawab of Oudh was signed here by Warren Hastings on behalf of the East India Company in September 1781 .