The Discovery of Tyersall

The starting point for my discovery of Tyersall was a map. I’d like to say it was an antique map retrieved from the bowels of a hidden library: something that Dan Brown might have written about, or an adventure that Indiana Jones might have inadvertently got involved in. However, to me it was more intriguing. It was an online map that I was studying but for a completely unrelated purpose. As I moved my cursor across a patch of forest that I was planning to jog around, I was surprised to see an unusual name pop up and a symbol that indicated a building of historical significance. 

It was so unexpected. Having lived in Singapore for 16 years and paying a great deal of attention to its history and architectural heritage, I thought I was aware of most of its important historical sites and buildings. Here was something right next door to where I lived that I had missed and that appeared to be forgotten. The name was “Istana Woodneuk”, and I knew enough Malay to understand that “Istana” meant palace. Now that I had discovered that the patch of jungle that I planned to jog around contained more than just a large variety of plant and animal life, I just had to investigate further.

My first few searches revealed little substantive information. The most helpful sources were blog postings authored by local bloggers. It was to the online blogging world, therefore, that I first headed. It was the bloggers who provided those first cursory nuggets of information that launched me on my quest to find out more, and who dangled snippets of information that suggested the potential of a riveting, untold story. Reading through the blogs it became apparent relatively quickly that there was some considerable uncertainty about the subject of Tyersall: gaps in the record; inconsistent accounts about the place; confusion about names and places. The blogs provided some basic information, but it seemed to be what wasn’t being said that indicated there was a hidden history waiting to be discovered.

One thing the bloggers were clear about was that Istana Woodneuk was a palace that was located in an estate that used to be called Tyersall Park. That made sense: one the roads that ran along the eastern perimeter of the land was called Tyersall Avenue. The other point they made was that Istana Woodneuk was not the only istana that had stood on the land. There was another one that stood within the same estate and which gave it its name: Istana Tyersall. However there seemed to be confusion about which one was which. Nevertheless, these bloggers were a crucial stepping stone in the writing of Palace of Ghosts. I quickly lost count, after about 20 or so, of the number of blog postings on Tyersall, Istana Tyersall and Istana Woodneuk. All the blog sites I reviewed are cited in the notes and references section of Palace of Ghosts. 

It quickly became obvious, however, that many of these bloggers were simply feeding off each other, repeating the same information regardless of whether it is accurate or not. So, they repeated and amplified accuracies but, equally, repeated and amplified inaccuracies. By doing both, however, they provided pointers as to where to direct my attention for further investigation, because, regardless of whether the blog content is accurate or not it implied that the blogger did do at least some basic research and investigation even the conclusions they drew were often questionable.

My next stop on my voyage of discovery was to talk to people who had visited the site. Clearly, there were a great number of such people but it was, and is, private land. As law abiding resident, I would not go there myself. But there were others, and I made it my business to try and track them down. Here are some accounts of their experiences (names changed):

Alex, a Singapore citizen: “When I first saw the ruined building in the shadows of late afternoon, I thought how could this be in Singapore? This is what you might find in Eastern Europe or somewhere abandoned like that. Everything here [in Singapore] is organised and controlled, but here was something they had missed”.

Crystal, a Singapore citizen: “I heard from a friend that it was a haunted house so we went to have a look. The jungle was so thick, I slipped on the mud twice and fell over. We finally got to the house and I noticed how quiet it was. It was covered in graffiti. Inside were long and dark corridors that led to many rooms at the back. It was quite eerie how still it was. There was grand staircase that led up from the biggest room on the ground floor to the rooms on the upper floor. We knew this was something amazing trapped in a time capsule”. 

Mei, a Singaporean citizen: “Fascinating to uncover a place like this on prime land in Singapore! I could tell from its architecture how grand and impressive Istana Woodneuk must have been in its glorious days. Now, it's abandoned, rundown and slightly spooky state is the lure to many thrill seekers like myself! Warning: Do not go visit alone”.

Ria, a Malay expat: “It’s a puzzle. An intriguing place. Obviously one of former majesty and splendor. It begs to be unveiled, discovered, investigated. Being from Malaysia I wondered why a Malay istana was here in the heart of Singapore”

Rakesh, an Indian expat: “It was an early morning trek that we took in the woods after it had just finished raining. You can only imagine how wet and muddy it was to navigate along the bumpy track. However we did and we eventually reached the house. It was a shambles, yet it told a story out loud that can only be narrated through history books and word of mouth. It was an amazing journey that resonated with a real life drama”. 

Wilson, an English expat: “It seemed at first like a forest struggle to nowhere. I was beginning to think it was a practical joke, and that we would eventually give up, turn around and go get lunch somewhere. But then all of sudden, from out of the tangle of jungle, there emerged an enormous ruin of a great mansion. It immediately spoke of a mystery and a weird history that had somehow escaped notice. After the first moments taking in the scene, the question that flooded my mind were what was this place? What happened here?”

Above 3 pics: Istana Woodneuk today

Different reactions to be sure. What they all had in common was surprise. An unexpected encounter. People who know Singapore, residents and expats alike, could hardly believe such a place could exist. The reaction is one of wonder, curiosity and genuine amazement that something like this exists, unknown. A hidden story that went well beyond any of the more well-versed narratives of history books or conventional wisdom.

As with any line of inquiry context is everything. Anything untold or unknown can only be so if those orbiting around its existence are un-aware of it. This is why I go to great lengths to describe the nature or character of the locality in which the site of Tyersall sits. You might have thought that an historic site, a landmark, enveloped by a towering expanse of jungle, would stand out like a big red, throbbing sore thumb. But it doesn’t. People go about their daily lives blissfully unaware of what lies there, hidden in plain sight. You might be forgiven for not knowing what was inside the land parcel: but if the wrapping of the parcel - in this case the huge wall of jungle – was itself conspicuous, it might raise a few questions. It just seems to go unnoticed by so many.

The apparent indifference of the passers-by, or the relatively superficial blogs and sound bites of those who have experienced an encounter of one kind or another, are soon forgotten with a little scratching of the surface. Tyersall reveals its secrets slowly. It involves patience and persistence in fitting together the pieces of the puzzle and joining the dots. In time a picture emerges: a long story arc seen through the lens of the lost palaces unencumbered by the obstructive screens of compartmentalised history erected by one government or another. It’s an astonishing story that also casts new light on understanding Singapore’s provenance.