梅窩城堡式建築「袁氏大屋」Yuen’s Mansion – Castle-style Building in Mui Wo

袁氏大屋,又名「餘德利圍」,位於梅窩涌口橋頭村的特色古屋,外貌猶如堡壘。建於1930年,2009年評定為二級歷史建築,不過政府一直未有理會大樓日久失修,主樓頂層已塌下 。

袁氏大屋(Yuen’s Mansion),又名「餘德利圍」,是一座位於香港大嶼山梅窩涌口橋頭村的特色古屋,外貌猶如堡壘。古屋建於1930年。2009年評定為二級歷史建築,建築群共包含主屋、前屋、穀倉、東更樓、西更樓及鄰接東更樓的小屋。不過政府一直未有理會大樓日久失修的問題,其中主樓頂樓的頂層已塌下 。

大屋是由中國國民黨前委員袁華照所建,二次大戰時期曾發揮暸望及防禦日軍侵襲的功能。該屋的一部份現時已荒廢,另一部份則為附近渡假屋的工人宿舍。該屋仍存有大炮一台。梅窩四大更樓(瞭望台)包括這裏兩座更樓。

現任業主袁哲之最近批評政府在歷史古蹟附近進行了十年的排水工程,使該建築物沉降。

Yuen’s Mansion, also known as “Yu Tak Li Wai”, is an old house with character located in the Bridgehead Village of Mui Wo Chung Hau, Lantau Island, Hong Kong. The old mansion was built in the 1930 and looks like a castle. In 2009, it was assessed as a Grade II historic building. The complex includes 6 buildings in total – a main house, a front house, a barn, east watch tower, west watch tower and a hut adjacent to east watch tower. However, the government has neglected the state of disrepair of the building, and the top floor of the main building has collapsed.

The Mansion was built by Yuan Hua-zhao, a former member of Kuomingtang, Chinese Nationalist Party. During World War II, he played a role in scouting of and defence against the Japanese invasion. A part of the estate is now deserted. The other part is a dormitory for workers in nearby holiday homes. There is a cannon in the compound. The 4 major watch towers in Mui Wo include the 2 located here.

Current owner, Yuen Chit-chi, recently criticised the government for a decade of drainage work near the historic site that has left it sinking.

楊必興 P H Yang