Description

1281/0/10026 ELLERS ROAD
28-JAN-09 3A

II
Private house, 1967-8 by Peter Aldington of Aldington and Craig.
MATERIALS: Walls are of concrete blockwork, left untreated externally. Fascias over window, window jambs and sills are of stained softwood. The flat roof is felted, with a structure of timber joists and steel beams. Glazing is framed in aluminium.
PLAN: A single storey detached house with a U-shaped plan. The four bedrooms are arranged on the outer edge, along the north (entrance) and east sides, with a small courtyard garden between two of them on the north-east corner, enclosed by the perimeter wall. The entrance is between the two north bedrooms, with a store and carport alongside. The kitchen lies at the core of the house, with bathrooms adjacent. The kitchen, living room and the smallest north bedroom form three sides of the courtyard, now covered by a lightweight conservatory added later by Aldington. To the south, the fourth bedroom, dining room and living room look on to the garden.
ELEVATIONS: The north (entrance) façade is extremely reticent. This elevation extends the full width of the site, and the two larger bedrooms and their courtyard are screened from view on approaching the house. The entrance, end wall of the smaller bedroom and store and the carport are recessed under the timber-lined roof, and there is only one small window visible. The east side of the house with its small courtyard forms the site boundary on this side, and the west side partially encloses the principal courtyard, walls being substantially glazed. The south (garden) façade is punctuated by the large full-height windows of the living and dining rooms and large bedroom window, each recessed under its fascia, the bedroom projecting the furthest into the garden.
INTERIOR: Inside, full-height doors assist the impression of open planning and largely full height windows create a strong relationship with the external spaces. Concrete block walls are painted white, and ceilings are of varnished softwood boarding, continuing outside to line the eaves. Flush doors and cupboard doors are painted white. Floors are tiled in the principal spaces, with tiling extending into the outside spaces, and carpeted in three of the bedrooms. Original fitted furniture in European redwood, varnished and painted, remains. The kitchen has original fitted cupboards and a breakfast bar with fold-down leaves on the outside: this was designed specifically for the family and incorporates further storage beneath. All the bedrooms also have built-in wardrobes with original handles, and the master bedroom has a built in dressing table and bedhead. The cloakroom has original furniture and fittings. The living room has a built-in floor-to-ceiling unit at one end incorporating shelves, cupboards and an electric fire. Former sliding partition walls enabled the separation of the living and dining areas to provide extra accommodation if required; these have now gone but the floor and ceiling slots and the cupboards which contained them remain.
The site is hidden from the road, at the end of the garden of an existing house. It was designed for close family friends of the architect.

Sources:
Architectural Review, August 1972, pp.89 - 92

Reasons for Designation

3A Ellers Road is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* It was designed by Peter Aldington, a highly respected architect who was a founder member of the 'romantic pragmatist' group and has a number of buildings listed
* It is a good example of his work, exemplifying his use of materials in a natural way, combining vernacular and modern detailing
* It is characterised by individual planning arising from working to a detailed brief to suit the needs of his client
* Despite its modest exterior, it displays high levels of craftsmanship and good quality materials both externally and internally
* It is virtually intact, with a wealth of original and individually designed details surviving. The later addition of the conservatory was designed by the architect and is sensitively integrated into the original plan of the house.

Reasons for Listing

3A Ellers Road is designated for listing at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* It was designed by Peter Aldington, a highly respected architect who was a founder member of the 'romantic pragmatist' group and has a number of buildings listed
* It is a good example of his work, exemplifying his use of materials in a natural way, combining vernacular and modern detailing
* It is characterised by individual planning arising from working to a detailed brief to suit the needs of his client
* Despite its modest exterior, it displays high levels of craftsmanship and good quality materials both externally and internally
* It is virtually intact, with a wealth of original and individually designed details surviving. The later addition of the conservatory was designed by the architect and is sensitively integrated into the original plan of the house.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26672303

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback