Martins

Details

BRASTED

771/0/10093 SCORDS LANE 23-APR-07 Martins

II Private house. 1954, by Powell and Moya, with fourth bedroom addition of soon after, and minor late-C20 modifications. MATERIALS: Cavity wall construction with brick and concrete block facing, that to the garage and living room with cedar boarding on battens facing. Timber and metal framed windows. Flat roofs of pre-cast, pre-stressed clay planks with hollow clay filling pots and concrete topping. PLAN: L-shaped plan with garage to road, and adjacent box room (now studio), below which are all the living and sleeping areas, these facing outwards to the Weald. EXTERIOR: From southeast, the house has three main parts, altogether set comfortably into its hillside setting. To the left is the living room range that includes the veranda to the corner, then the living room which is generously glazed with wood-framed square sliding panes that meet at the corner, and additional fixed panes. This is completed with a weather-boarded section, and the plinth is also weather-boarded. Set under the oversailing flat roof, which is supported by a slender post at the veranda, and over a weather-boarded plinth. Set back and above this is the weather-boarded study and garage range with a three-light vertical window to left, this added later. To right is a wide chimney stack with three tall chimney pots, as originally designed. The left hand return is now weather boarded at first floor, but was originally mostly glazed; the windows survive at ground floor (to the dining room). There is a set back link of one wide window bay, and then the bedroom range, advanced from and slightly lower than the living room. This is also weather-boarded and has a wide centrally placed range of metal-framed windows, one for each bedroom, and comprising a wide fixed pane flanked by casements. The roof oversails above the windows only. The north-east return is mostly blind weather-boarding, with one window of square fixed pane and casement. To north of this is the later bedroom extension, with full width windows and a single one on the return. INTERIOR: This survives very well, with the plan form and most of the original fittings intact. These include the living room fireplace that comprises a long low brick wall with metal-framed openings and a polished stone cill. Also in here are fitted bookcases. Dining room has a hatch to the kitchn which retains many original cupboards. Steps down from front door to hall retain built-in cupboards. Bedrooms have built-in wardrobes, the doors have transom overlights and there is a skylight at the end of the hall. ASSESSMENT OF IMPORTANCE: A largely intact private house of 1954, by Powell and Moya, built soon after war-time restrictions on private buildings were lifted, for which it has historic interest. It is a rare surviving example of the domestic work of these important post-war architects. It has special architectural interest for its planning and materials, responding boldly to its dramatic Wealden site, and retaining much of the original character and fittings of a high quality, purpose-built house of the period. SOURCES: Architectural Review, Dec. 1954, pp.358-62 Home and Garden, May 1955, pp.72-5 Architecture and Building, July 1956

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

492640

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Architectural Review in Architectural Review: Dec 1954, (1954)
Architecture and Building in Architecture and Building: July 1956, (1956)
Home and Garden in Home and Garden: May 1955, (1955)

End of official list entry

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