“Architect Eric Lyons believed landscape was not just the treatment of space left between buildings, but the arrangement of buildings to create spaces” - Historic England
Fieldend in Strawberry Hill, Twickenham, is often considered to be one of the most appealing of Eric Lyons’ Span estates. Built in 1961, this incredibly bright three-bedroom house is positioned at the far end of the five-acre site, overlooking the verdant landscaping for which the estate is so renowned. The house has been extended to introduce a glazed rear section that draws light into the plan, and carefully renovated to preserve the original features. The private, south-facing back garden flows seamlessly from the inside spaces, engendering the quiet sense of retreat from the city that is so loved by Fieldend’s residents. This house also has a garage.
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. 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 company built 30 housing estates between 1948 and 1984. For more information on Span, see the History section below.
Fieldend’s landscaping is now Grade II-listed in recognition of its distinctive vision. The estate is largely pedestrianised and the 51 houses that comprise it share access to beautifully maintained communal gardens.
The Tour
This house retains its instantly recognisable Eric Lyons porch, and the façade is replete with floor-to-ceiling windows. Any new additions have been carefully conceived to chime with the architect’s focus on natural light and simple design.
The living room lies at the front of the ground floor plan, a wonderfully calm space with original woodblock flooring underfoot. A well-conceived workspace is tucked to the left, which opens at the rear to the dining room contained within the extension. This space is flooded with light through a glazed, mono-pitched roof that provides a subtle and uplifting division of space, and bi-folding doors that open to the garden.
The kitchen sits to the left of the plan. A single-pane window frames views onto the garden and allows plenty of natural light in, which illuminates the green vinyl floors underfoot and minimal white cabinetry. There is also a new shower room on this level.
There are three bedrooms and a newly refinished bathroom on the first floor. Each bedroom has exposed ceiling beams – a feature throughout Lyons’ Span designs – and the largest bedroom also has original built-in wardrobes.
Outdoor Space
The south-facing garden is framed by the mature trees that enclose Fieldend. It has been lovingly maintained by the current owners and carefully planted with flowering climbers. A gate at the rear leads onto further communal wildflower meadows.
The Area
Fieldend Estate can be found in Strawberry Hill, a popular residential area in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Teddington and Twickenham high streets are both one mile away. Teddington was voted the best place to live in London by The Times in 2021 and has an excellent selection of restaurants, cafés and shops, and a recently launched farmers’ market. Twickenham has a range of shops and pubs including a Waitrose and a farmers’ market on Saturdays.
The larger shopping areas of Kingston and Richmond are within easy reach. Fieldend is a 10-minute walk from the River Thames at Teddington Lock with access to the towpath and walking/cycling routes in both directions. Bushy Royal Park is also close by, next to Hampton Court Palace. Richmond Park is a few miles away.
There are good transports links in the area. Strawberry Hill train station is a 10-minute walk and offers services to London Waterloo with journey times of approximately 30 minutes. There are regular buses into Richmond (where the Underground runs District Line services) and Kingston. It is a short drive to the M3, with good access to the M25 and M4.
Tenure: Freehold
Service Charge: approx. £130 per month (includes maintenance of communal gardens and grounds)
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.
History
The development company Span built 30 housing estates across the UK between 1948 and 1984. In his book The Spirit of Span Housing, James Strike says: “Span housing was the inspiration of two young men, who, during the 1930s, met as architectural students at the Regent Street Polytechnic. Eric Lyons and Geoffrey Townsend both had a keen interest in modern architecture… They believed that there was a market for well-designed houses in carefully designed landscapes for the sort of people who recognised good design when they saw it – and they were right.”
In 2006, Span housing was the subject of an exhibition at the RIBA, and the accompanying book, entitled Eric Lyons & Span (ed. Barbara Simms), gives a comprehensive survey of its history. “The work of the architect Eric Lyons,” it states, “is as well-loved now as it was vibrantly successful when first constructed. Built almost entirely for Span Developments, its mission was to provide an affordable environment ‘that gave people a lift’.”
Fieldend was built in 1959–60, in close collaboration with landscape architect Michael Brown. The estate is made up of 51 two-storey houses, a mix of Lyons’ T8 and T7 designs. Fieldend soon picked up a number of awards, including a Civic Trust Award and a Housing Gold Award. More recently, Fieldend has been designated a Conservation Area in recognition of its architectural merit and excellent landscaping.
