1960s Roger Dyer modern house in Clapton in Gordano, near Bristol
Great to see this 1960s Roger Dyer modern house in Clapton in Gordano, near Bristol, for sale and in original condition too.
A fascinating house and a fascinating mini-development too. You might recall I feature one house within it back in 2018, albeit in updated form. Not the case here. Give or take a couple of modest upgrades; this is pretty much what the architect designed way back in 1967.
I believe there are eight houses making up Swancombe, and they don’t come up for sale often. I’ve seen a couple offered for sale, but prior to that, it was around the Millennium when one went up for sale. Hardly surprising, If I lived here, I wouldn’t be in a rush to leave either.
The houses were designed by Roger Dyer not long after his return from the US. He was a fan of midcentury modern architecture of the era and, particularly, the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, with that influence carried through into these houses.
It wouldn’t be as obvious with a house that has been updated, but with an example like this, which has most of the original details intact, you can see where the architect was coming from.
Large windows, open spaces, exposed Canadian Hemlock hardwood beams, tongued and grooved ceilings and exposed brick walls, for example.
I love all those built-in storage solutions, too, and as a fan of the era, it’s so nice seeing many of the original interior design touches still in place. Yes, that is a rather collectable Guzzini Bud light fitting in the reception area. A quick glance on eBay will tell you how much those go for these days. Suffice it to say, not cheap.
Of course (and as is the case in many of these houses), this house will need more modest updating. But that’s really down to details, such as the decor, carpeting and your choice of interiors. A closer inspection may suggest more, But for me, this is the perfect blank canvas for anyone looking for a 1960s modern house. And houses like this really don’t come along very often these days. Especially in sought-after locations like this one.
As for the architecture, it isn’t just modern. It is also very well thought-out. The house is perched above the Gordano valley with expansive views from the 40ft balcony towards Portishead.
And as you might expect of such a house, the layout has been flipped, so the main living space is on the higher level, benefitting from those views.
Talking of the layout, the entrance hall provides access to a study, which does double up as a fifth bedroom if needed. There is also a separate fitted cloakroom.
But beyond that is the feature space of this house, the open-plan reception. Bag of natural light, lots of space, feature fitted furnishings and twin sets of sliding doors open to the full-width balcony. Perfect for a summer’s evening, And rather nice over the rest of the year, too, weather permitting. In fact, when it does get chilly, you can take advantage of the open fire within, complete with an adjacent wood store.
Semi-open plan to the reception space is the fitted kitchen with an expanse of work surfaces, a fitted sink with a waste disposal unit, and plenty of floor and wall-mounted storage cupboards. Some of the appliances are recently fitted, but I suspect the units are more in keeping with the original era. Note that there is also a ‘very generous’ utility room and workshop with its own side access.
Fancy getting outside quickly? There is also separate access onto the southwest-facing sun terrace, with spiral stairs down to the gardens.
Over the lower floor are four double bedrooms, each with its own fitted storage. The master bedroom also has an en-suite shower room, with the remaining bedrooms sharing a family bathroom. Bedroom two has a deep storage cupboard, with further storage in cupboards on the landing, complete with Dyer’s original ventilated metal doors.
More quick access to the garden from bedroom three, which is ideal for a home office.
And you might want to spend time in the garden too. Originally, at the bottom of the slope, a communal tennis court and swimming pool were planned, but this never materialised, and owners have since extended and landscaped their gardens, which now reach further down.
With this one, you get a level lawn and a ‘sunny orientation’ catching much of the day and evening sun. Steps lead down to several smaller tiered gardens culminating in a gate and access onto Clapton Lane to the pub and village post box. To the opposite side of the private road is a small copse, privately owned and maintained by the residents of Swancombe and managed by a resident-owned management company.
A dream of a house and the added appeal of that 1960s authenticity. I suspect this one will not be on the market long. If you want to be the next owner of this modern house in Clapton in Gordano, offers over £595,000 are being requested.
Images and details courtesy of Rupert Oliver. For more details and additional images and to make an enquiry, please visit the website.
