1930s Erno Goldfinger modern house in Dunmow, Essex
A wonderful design and a great name behind it. This 1930s Erno Goldfinger modern house in Dunmow, Essex, is now on the market.
Yes, it does date back as far as the 1930s—1937, to be precise. However, the house, known as Hill Pasture, was renovated and extended by another renowned modernist architect, John Winter, in the 1990s.
The end result is a bold modernist design that retains some lovely original details but has also been updated subtly and cleverly for more contemporary living.
As a result, it’s also a house that doesn’t obviously belong to any particular era. I could ask 10 people when this house dated from and I would guess at maybe four or five different answers without a close examination. There’s a uniqueness about the whole thing that immediately catches the eye, not least within the surrounding countryside.
The property was built on an east-facing slope in the Essex countryside and is described as a split-level courtyard house. The white rendered finish is pure 1930s modernism in the international style. That probably does give the era away. I love this look, and the run of glazing only adds to the appeal, as does the setting.
But this is far from a period piece, even if some period details have been carefully maintained within. This is also a large family home for the modern era, with the interior reworked for the kind of open-plan living and entertaining space that 21st-century buyers look for.
The first floor, for example, has been ‘cleverly converted’ to a series of stylish and functional bedrooms, including a principal suite with a terrace. And it really is quite the terrace. As you can see from the image, the space is considerable and the views are something special.
The rest of the house is all about light and space (boosted by some rather high ceilings), with terraces and courtyards taking advantage of views and breaking down the barriers between the inside and the gardens. I’ll talk about the grounds later, as they are a selling point in themselves. You’ve probably guessed that.
You can see them clearly as soon as you pass through the electrically controlled gates and travel along the extensive drive that leads to the house.
Walk in and access the hallway, which in turn leads to the raised garden lounge and its glass wall, bringing the light and the garden into the space. The dining area looks out over the north terrace, while the east wall sliding doors open to the gardens.
A ground-level bedroom suite enjoys views over the courtyard garden and, more practically, is complete with built-in wardrobes and shelving.
The fully fitted kitchen includes everything you would expect of a modern space but with some heritage still in place for good measure. So a stainless steel countertop with an inset double sink, Zimbabwe stone surface with an inset AEG induction hob, larger extractor unit, plus drawers below with oak fronts to a Goldfinger design, as well as an AEG steam oven and an LPG Aga.
That wooden staircase to the kitchen area is also something special. If you see how it flows up, you’ll see what I believe is an original landing area with a high curved ceiling and walls of glass. It’s quite stunning.
Upstairs, there are three to four bedrooms, depending on whether you want to use one as a study. The principal bedroom was originally a painting studio (which is as flamboyant as it comes) but is now a light-filled ’loft style’ space with high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows to the south, plus a large roof terrace and large opening windows to the east and north with views above and through the gardens to the distant landscape beyond. The south facing en suite bathroom is fitted with a bath and a shower cubicle with a rain shower.
There are two/three further bedrooms and a family bathroom also on this floor, all offering similar views to the grounds and country beyond.
The separate one-bedroom annexe, designed by John Winter in 2001, was originally designed as additional accommodation. However, it’s a flexible space currently used as an office. Either way, it’s a nice thing to have in place, whatever you decide to do with it.
It’s not the only appealing part of the outside space. There are plenty of things to explore, including a courtyard terrace and a herb garden.
The gardens beyond that are mostly informal, with beds of roses and perennials, an orchard, a natural pond, a spring-fed swimming pool with Roman ends, surrounded by a rose-clad arbour, and the Chatsworth’ walk with clipped yew hedging leading to steps to a viewing platform with views across the Chelmer valley. There are five acres of space in total.
A lot of house, a strong architectural pedigree and lots of grounds. Of course, this one doesn’t come cheap. But compared to London prices, it doesn’t cost a fortune either. Hill Pasture has a guide price of £1,250,000.
Images and details courtesy of Savills. For more details and to make an enquiry, please visit the website.
