Lei Yuen (李苑) [????-c.2005]

Submitted by philk on Sun, 06/02/2024 - 12:51
Current condition
Demolished / No longer exists
Date closed / demolished
(Day, Month, & Year are approximate.)

This was a large estate located in the Lam Tei area of Tuen Mun. The estate consisted of a large villa, with adjoining garden and a large swimming pool to the north. There was an ornamental pagoda east of the main garden which was marked on maps as a "water tower" (see below, centre right).

Lei Yuen (1970 map)
Lei Yuen (1970 map), by philk

This water tower, designed to look like a pagoda, caused quite some "discussion" a while back (see this thread) but it's identity was eventually discovered courtesy of the sole existing remnant of the estate, the Li Yuen Archway (thanks T). The property looks to have survived into the 1990s and beyond but was demolished to make way for a residential development called "The Sherwood" which opened in 2005.

I marked the archway and water tower on the following aerial image from 1963.

Lei Yuen marked (1963)
Lei Yuen marked (1963), by philk

Clean version here:

Lei Yuen (1963 aerial image)
Lei Yuen (1963 aerial image), by philk

 

Photos that show this Place

Terrain to the right of Tsui Sing Lau Pagoda - Photo #2.JPG
1948
Pagoda Tsui Sing Lau Pagoda, NT Hong Kong - photo #1.JPG
1948
Arched Gateway - on right of pagoda in NTJPG
1948
See more photos of this place

Comments

Hi There,

Google seemed to have changed its search a bit recently.  If we use 藍地李苑 for the look-up, a Facebook link previous unknown to me popped up:

https://www.facebook.com/tuenmunoldphotos/posts/5450118801683149/?_rdr

Under this entry there is a clear photo of the water tower\pagoda.  There is also a photo (likely the same one owned by HKU archive) there.  I am pretty sure the Lei's Mansion is a match, togather with the tall tree.

T

Nice find again T, with that closer image I would say it really isn't a water tower but just an ornamental pagoda. Yes, I was already convinced this was the place after you orginally identified the archway a couple of years ago, but I thought it would be nice to document the estate as well. It also fits in perfectly the itinerary of Mr Brooks' trip around the NT which also later passed by Castle Peak Police Station.

The top floor of the pagoda doesn't have any windows, so maybe it was used as a water tower after all.

Great to have the mysterious pagoda's location confirmed at last!