Bareilly Cantonment is situated near the Terai region, which was known as Kather during the Mughal period. The city of Bareilly was established around 1537 AD. The region came under the control of the Rohillas during the mid of eighteenth century and as such came to be known as Rohilkhand. It subsequently came under the control of the Nawab of Avadh and was ceded to the British in 1801; Bareilly Cantonment was established in 1811.

It appears from the anecdotes compiled in the Cantonment Magistrate's Diary that the entire Rohilkhand region remained a turbulent area from the very beginning and the British found it difficult to maintain the law and order. In 1814 a revolt broke out over the imposition of Chowkidarana tax, which was subsequently crushed.

During the Sepoy Mutiny in 1857, Bareilly was also up in arms against the British. The British forces recaptured Bareilly under the leadership of Colin Campbell on 5th May 1858 after winning pitched battles at Nakatia Bridge and Kharkha Bagh.

The British administration was re-established more firmly than ever before. The charge of Cantonment Magistrate was taken over by Col. Robert Unwin. No records of the old Cantonment were found and it was assumed that they were all destroyed during the Mutiny. Rail link was established in 1873. The Prince of Wales visited Bareilly in 1876.

It was only when Major Knowles took over in 1911 that the Cantonment administration was firmly established and the main task before the administration was the Development of the Cantonment. A number of Developmental works of far reaching importance were executed during this period. Old drains were brick lined, operation room was added to the Cantonment Hospital, street lighting system was improved, new markets were constructed, kaccha latrines in the Bazar areas were converted into pan-type and plantation and arboriculture were taken up in a big way.