Copperfields
Kemsing, Kent
Architect: Fry, Drew & Partners
Register for similar homes"As with much of the best British architecture of the 1960s, the Scandinavian influence of Alvar Aalto, Arne Jacobsen, and others is particularly strong at the Kemsing scheme".
This outstanding Mid Century Modern home forms part of a collection of houses designed in 1964 by the renowned architects Fry, Drew & Partners. The house is favourably located in Kemsing, an attractive village that lies in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty close to the town of Sevenoaks, just twenty miles from central London. Internal living space spans 1,572 sq ft across two storeys, with exceptionally well-retained characterising features such as exposed brickwork, clerestory windows, and timber-clad ceilings.
The primary entrance, set back from the road by means of a private driveway, leads into a light-filled hallway and on to the kitchen which sits directly opposite; picture windows inviting good levels of natural light and a glass timber-framed door providing access to the garden. To the right of the plan is the living room, a characterful room with oak beams, a wall of exposed brickwork framing the original fireplace and several views out to the lush curtilage. A study (or fifth bedroom) and a ground-floor cloakroom are positioned on the opposite side of the plan.
An original open-tread staircase leads up to the four bedrooms on the first floor. The master bedroom is built of pleasing proportions; the sloping pitched roof providing a sense of height and volume and opportunity for generous in-built storage. A ribbon of glazing spans the length of one wall, effectively framing the treetops. The three additional bedrooms run the length of the first floor, alongside a family bathroom.
Working with the existing landscape was an important consideration in the design of the Kemsing development and as a result, the rear garden has a wonderfully rich collection of specimen trees dispersed throughout, providing privacy and dappled shade in summer months. A paved patio offers an attractive position for outside dining, surrounded by mature shrubs and herbaceous borders. There is also a useful garden store.
Edwin Maxwell Fry (1899 – 1987) and Dame Jane Drew (1911 – 1996) were two of the most important figures in 20th-century British architecture, with many of the schemes that they worked on having been subsequently listed by Historic England (although the houses at Kemsing are not listed). Fry worked alongside Le Corbusier and Walter Gropius and is widely acknowledged as being one of the key figures in introducing Modernism to the UK.
Kemsing is a historic Kent village that lies in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty close to the North Downs. There is a small collection of local shops in the village, as well as a primary school, library and doctor’s surgery. The larger town of Sevenoaks is approximately four miles away and provides train services to London in under 30 minutes as well as a broad range of shops, restaurants, and other services. There is a good number of highly-rated schools, both state and private, in the Sevenoaks area.
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 at Kemsing incorporated clusters of two, three and four houses, built on the old grounds of a country house in 1964 by a company called Peploe. They employed Fry, Drew & Partners who were one of the most highly-regarded architectural firms in the UK. Based in London, but working across the world, Fry, Drew & Partners were founded by Edwin Maxwell Fry (1899 – 1987) and Dame Jane Drew (1911 – 1996), two of the most important figures in 20th-century British architecture. This scheme is relatively modest in scale compared to much of their work.
As with much of the best British architecture of the 1960s, the Scandinavian influence of Alvar Aalto, Arne Jacobsen, and others is particularly strong at the Kemsing scheme, not only with the brick and timber palette of the houses but also in the layout of the individual properties. Efforts were made to make the scheme as naturalistic and intimate as possible, with many of the original trees kept in place and houses situated where they would be most private. Winding paths, as opposed to wide walkways, were laid down and the intention by Fry, Drew & Partners was to create a setting with a rural character.
A contemporary edition of House & Garden featured the Kemsing houses as a cover story, with the magazine’s in-house team furnishing the interiors for an extensive photoshoot. The journalist, Olive Sullivan, describes the houses as “more Scandinavian than English” and describes the architect’s “aim to reproduce that sense of seclusion found in earlier… country farmhouses”.
