Consulate General of the Republic of Singapore

Terraced two-bay four-storey former townhouse over basement, dated 1828, built as part of a terrace of five (50930001-5). Two-storey return abuts to north-side of rear (east) elevation. Now in use as an embassy. M-profiled pitched roof with shouldered rendered chimneystacks, that to north having buff brick to upper portion, with lipped yellow clay pots, to party walls. Concealed rainwater goods. Buff brick walling laid in Flemish bond over channel-rusticated and rendered basement with granite plinth course over. Square-headed window openings with painted masonry sills, rendered reveals and brick voussoirs. Largely six-over-six timber sliding sash windows with convex horns, three-over-three to third floor and ten-over-ten to basement with steel grille. Decorative iron balconettes affixed to sills at first floor. Round-headed door opening with sandstone doorcase comprising moulded linings, prostyle Ionic columns on plinths with egg-and-dart moulding to capitals, rising to moulded cornice over panelled frieze with decorative iron fanlight and raised-and-field timber panelled door. Granite entrance platform with cast-iron boot scraper, four nosed granite steps to street flanked by cast-iron railings with arrow finials on granite plinth enclosing basement well to south. Mild-steel steps to basement well. Street fronted on the eastern side of Ely Place Upper. Rear yard bound by north return and rendered wall.

Ely Place Upper, which occupies the southern end of the street, comprises a terrace of five former townhouses originally named ‘Smith’s Buildings’, as engraved on a quoin of No. 1 (50930005). Characterised by well-balanced proportions, Adamesque doorcases and decorative fanlights, this former houses is part of a well maintained terrace. Originally named Hume Row, Ely Place was laid out in 1768, and was named after the surgeon Gustavus Hume who built his house at No. 1 Hume Street (now demolished). With the construction of Ely House (50930012) in 1770, Ely Place developed as a desirable residential street throughout the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries.