Red House, Amersham
Location/Address
Red House
Cherry Lane
Amersham
Buckinghamshire
HP7 0QE
Type
Description
Important modernist house, by renowned architect Erno Goldfinger, located within the Conservation Area of Amersham [Old Town], with a recorded history.
Whilst altered, surprisingly original in form & changes made have been done sympathetically by a known architect who lived next door in another mid-century Modernist house designed for the occupation of his own family.
Statement of Significance
Asset type
Single dwelling.Age
1956.Rarity
Unusual to find an example of the work of Erno Goldfinger, in the historic Conservation Area of a old Market Town. Also, unusual to find such an unashamedly Modernist approach to making the dwelling fit into to the existing setting of the historic environment.Architectural and Artistic Interest
Originally designed as a single-storey dwelling, with a flat roof, the idea being - with the slope of the hillside - that the proposed building would be low enough, so as not to be seen from the original house on the High Street. A considerable debate ensured between the architect/client & Amersham Rural District Planning Detartment, whose head just happened to live on the opposite side of Cherry Lane. The approach taken by the architect, was dismissed & a pitched roof deemed essential to preserve character within the locality. This did, of course, affect the original desire for the new home to be unseen, from the much older house whose garden was being subdivided. The site for Red House, is within the rear part of the former Walled Garden for a much large house - now called Piers Place - by the junction of the High Street with Cherry Lane. For architect so heavily associated with Brutalism, Erno Goldfinger has taken a remarkably sensible approach to developing the site. Much of the original Garden Wall has been retained, with the approach from the road creating a little courtyard with the additional stretches of wall perpendicular to the road & gates. From here, there is a gravel drive, leading to a paved path. The site itself has been terraced modestly, to create a flat area for the footprint of the house & rear terrace. The remainder of the garden, approximately half an acre, retains a naturalistic feel reminiscent of the much older pre-existed garden layout. An early C19th folly remains to one corner. There are a selection of mature trees, some surely prior to the garden subdivision. As previously mentioned, the original design was for a single-storey flat-roofed dwelling that did not meet with Council approval. To gain permission, a pictured roof was added. The architect was reluctant to do this, hence the space created was only ever intended to be an open studio area & there was no staircase to the amended original design. The materials, clay bricks & tiles, are not particularly avant-garde, but fit in within the more traditional buildings in the locality & in part can be put down to Council opposition. Whilst the roof space has been converted, arguably sympathetically in design & well in finish, much originality remains internally to principal ground-floor accommodation & exterior. Gravel drive leads to paved path, with accompanying steps up to original entrance. Front door to right, secondary door to left, original glazing & letter box between. Whole composition set into frame & all is original. Internally, the original kitchen has been retained, sensitively upgraded & some addition cupboards made to match. Openings between key components of living space are unchanged, with kitchen opening to dining room & then to living room. Latter has original, simply designed fireplace. Hall only adapted to accommodate staircase, alongside 2 accompanying smaller bedrooms. Principal bedroom & spare room completely unaltered & retaining original wooden doors & panelling to built-in wardrobes & ceiling respectively. Worth noting, with alterations, these were done by known architect Bill Mullins, who lived next door in his own post-War Modernist house. On the one hand, not by Erno Goldfinger, on the other hand, adding a degree of architectural succession to the design, relating to the locality. Worth mentioning, aside from the first-floor conversion & lean-to shed, Red House has never been ‘properly extended’, hence much of the original exterior remains. Roof light are additions, but still relatively minor ones in comparison. Original external doors remain & where windows have been redone, origins, latches & style has been recreated. Original frames have been preserved & panelling under some external windows also retained. Brickwork in Stretcher Bond. Single chimney, of modest proportions, projects from roofline above from elevation, positioned left of centre & seemingly original.Group Value
Situated within the Conservation Area, where they are many designated heritage assets. Piers Place (Grade II) is significant because Red House sits within what was formerly part of the garden. The adjacent Vine House, is another Modernist house, built just after Red House also in what was formerly part of the Piers Place garden, which has also been nominated.Historic Interest
Adds an additional element of C20th architecture to the fabric of Amersham Old Town.Archaeological Interest
Possible, due to being built in former garden of a centuries old house.Landmark Status
Discreetly located, known by those interested in Modernist architecture.Images and Documents
Date Listed
n/a
Last Updated
16 May 2024