Set amongst the gardens of the excellent Span estate at Marsham Lodge is this three-bedroom house with a private garden, built in 1969 to a design by Eric Lyons. Marsham Lodge was one of the last developments to be completed under the Span Developments company name and is one of the smaller estates, consisting of only 25 houses. It solely uses the C30 house type, and was one of only two estates to employ this design. The surrounding green and peaceful landscape is planted with flowering shrubs and shaded by mature trees, typical of Eric Lyons’ designs which put landscaping at their forefront.

The Architect

Span are perhaps the most celebrated of all 20th-century residential developers and many of their buildings throughout the south of England are now listed. The company built 30 housing estates in total between 1948 and 1984. Founded by architect-turned-developer Geoff Townsend and Eric Lyons (thoroughly schooled in the modern movement having worked for Bauhaus designer Walter Gropius from 1936-37), their designs sought to bring the tenants of modernism – light, openness, a sense of order – to suburban areas on a domestic scale.

The Tour

Marsham Lodge is approached by a private tree-lined road. A well-proportioned hallway, with plenty of storage, leads to an open-plan living and dining space. Huge glass doors that span the living and dining rooms open onto a south-east facing garden, allowing natural light in and blurring the boundary between inside and out, as per Lyons’ original intentions. To the right of the plan, an open doorway divides the dining area and the kitchen, where there is access to a separate utility room.

An original staircase leads to the main bedroom, two further bedrooms and a bathroom. The two largest bedrooms have distinctive sloping ceilings and original cabinetry is present throughout. All of the rooms have views over the surrounding trees and towards the communal gardens. Outside, the house has access to a private garage.

The Area

The house is a short walk from the East and West Commons of Gerrards Cross, both of which lie within the conservation area. Gerrards Cross town centre contains a number of good shops, restaurants, pubs and delis as well as an Everyman Cinema. Further afield are the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Trains from Gerrards Cross station run to London Marylebone in around 22 minutes. Aylesbury, Bicester, Stratford-upon-Avon, and Birmingham can also be reached via this line. London can be reached via the nearby A40. The M25 and M40 are also accessible for routes to Heathrow.

Tenure: Freehold
Council tax band: F (Borough of Buckinghamshire) 

Please note that all areas, measurements and distances given in these particulars are approximate and rounded. The text, photographs and floor plans are for general guidance only. The Modern House has not tested any services, appliances or specific fittings — prospective purchasers are advised to inspect the property themselves. All fixtures, fittings and furniture not specifically itemised within these particulars are deemed removable by the vendor.