PERCHED HIGH ON Penang Hill and setback from a road which has a gradient of 45 degrees, sits Edgecumbe. This two-storey bungalow built by Lim Cheng Teik c.1928 is currently derelict, the jungle slowly and relentlessly reclaiming it. Reputed to be haunted, it certainly is worlds away from the former glory of its heyday, when its residents would enjoy the view afforded from the beautiful terrace.
I first learned of its existence during a recent stay in Penang. Though I have taken the funicular up Penang Hill several times and explored its upper sights, I was unaware of the existence of the many bungalows which dot the Hill’s landscape—and of their history. Through discussions with members of my extended family—resident Penangites—I learned that they retained vivid memories of the bungalow, which they visited often as children.
