David Brown's Cottage Strawberry Hill, Penang Hill
Penang Hill Location Map
Strawberry Hill is a hillock on Penang Hill. It is located immediately above the Upper Station of the Penang Hill Railway. The hill got its name because its first owner *, the imminent estate owner David Brown, had grown strawberries there.
David Brown, for whom the Brown Memorial stands at Padang Brown, was a comtemporary of Captain Francis Light. Along with James Scott, he was one of the businessmen who arrived on Penang Island and developed it. On his estates he grew nutmeg as well as cloves, pepper and on, his descendents added rubber to the list. Brown owned three properties on Penang Hill. In addition to Strawberry Hill - where he had a tea house called David Brown's Cottage - he also built Brown House and Mon Craig.
David Brown's Cottage was a two-storey structure. It was destroyed during the Second World War. In its place stood a single-storey building that was known to most Penangites as the Tea Kiosk. Then in around 2005, Peter Lee, the owner of Ye Olde Smokehouse of Cameron Highlands won the opportunity to redevelop Strawberry Hill. Lee engaged conservation architect Laurence Loh, whose restoration work included Suffolk House, Lunas Smokehouse, among others, to work on bringing back the old glory of David Brown's Cottage.
Ten months and three million ringgit later, a new two-storey structure reminiscent of David Brown's original cottage stands on Strawberry Hill. It houses an upmarket establishment called David Brown's Restaurant & Tea House. It's a place for English tea, scones, strawberry-and-cream, and where dressing up for dinner is de rigeuer. Its menu is steep with nostalgia for the colonial era.
My wife and I had the privilege of enjoying tea and scones at the tea house recently. We were attending the Penang Heritage Trust site visit. While I truly enjoyed the setting on Strawberry Hill, I am concerned over the poor hill railway service - we had to wait hours for the train. Furthermore, there was hardly any proper parking space for visitors at the foot of the hill. I am appalled that the local authorities have not done more to improve the parking amenities at such an important tourist site. For this new establishment to connect with its customers, an improvement to the Hill Railway service is definitely in order.
* Update March 2010: According to Raymond Flower in the book The Penang Adventure, it was Captain Francis Light himself who brought strawberry roots from Dallinghoo, his hometown, to plant in his garden on the hill, which he called Strawberry Hill. (pg 42: The Penang Adventure, by Raymond Flower; Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Editions)
Getting there
At time of writing (September 2008) the Penang Hill funicular train is again out of operation. Until the hill train is in operation again, the only two ways to reach David Brown's Cottage at Strawberry Hill is by either jeep from the Penang Botanic Gardens or by hiking.
What to see and do
David Brown's Cottage at Strawberry Hill is a place to relax and take things easy. The restaurant has a lovely lawn with panoramic view of George Town and Seberang Perai. One can view all the way to Gunung Jerai from here.
Nearby Sights
The following are some of the places you can explore in Penang Hill, arranged in alphabetical order.
If you're planning a trip to Penang, please go through the information I have assembled in Penang Travel Tips. You'd find there information covering all aspect about Penang, including accommodation, transport, food, shopping, places of interest and more. Everything you need to know Penang is right there at your finger tips!
The lawn at Strawberry Hill now spot a lotus pond
The David Brown Restaurant & Tea House.
Enjoy a cosy country meal at the restaurant.
At the fire place, the logs are real, the fire isn't.
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