Ferrum House
Harpenden,
Hertfordshire
Architect: John S. Bonnington
Register for similar homesInspire me“If I could go back to 1964, when this was completed, I would not alter a thing” - John S. Bonnington
The exceptional Grade II-listed Ferrum House was designed by the architect John S. “Jack” Bonnington (1929-2020) for himself and his family. Inspired by the work of the great Bauhaus architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, it was completed in 1964 and was among the first examples of a steel-framed house in England. It extends to over 3,200 sq ft across two foliage-filled glazed levels, with a substantial garage and generous private garden, and is on the market for the first time in its history.
The Architect
According to Bonnington, it took more than six years of weekends combing southern England in his car to find the perfect plot on which to build his family home. Finally, in 1962, he found himself on a tranquil, wooded patch in the grounds of a country manor in Harpenden: the perfect spot for Ferrum House.
In a 2018 interview with Wallpaper*, Bonnington described the design of Ferrum as a nod to “the workmanship and simplicity of Greek temples” while acknowledging the enormous influence of Mies van der Rohe, explaining that “his architecture taught me about the elimination of superfluous detail.” For more information, please see the History section below.
The Tour
The house is set back behind an enchanting ivy-strewn lawn and mature trees, from a private, unmade road near the centre of Harpenden; a short, bucolic walk along the golf course and across the Common. The design is largely rectangular and based on a strict three-foot module. The fair-coloured bricks, chosen to contrast with the darkness of the surrounding trees, are nine inches in length and the steel members are all measured to a multiple of three.
A brick-paved driveway approaches the house, with the garage to the right. The first glimpse of the main house lies behind a canopy of majestic California redwoods, where the lower brick portion extends from the towering Leilandi cypress of the rear garden to support the steel-framed, cedar-clad upper section. This cantilevers above the Portland stone walkway, with an underside of Colombian pine, past two large sections of glazing. The second glazed section provides entry to the ground-floor hall which is dual aspect to the garden and contains a steel and timber open-tread staircase.
The upper level is predominantly open-plan. Swedish mosaic glass lines the floor and remains in near perfect condition. The ceilings and walls are clad in Sitka spruce, with sliding doors of teak providing occasional moments of seclusion. The kitchen, breakfast bar and dining room occupy the landing space with a sweeping wall of glazing that extends into the expansive living room beyond. The original recessed HiFi is retained here, with speakers built into the panelling.
There are four bedrooms in total, with a study on the first floor and a further garden room on the ground level. The three first-floor bedrooms enjoy a rare intimacy with the surrounding trees and the ground-floor bedroom and its living space benefit from the same with the garden. Plenty of storage is provided in the long linking corridors and built-in wardrobes throughout.
Outdoor Space
As with Ferrum House itself, the garden is designed to be low maintenance. A Portland stone terrace surrounds the house and lawns are found front and back, dotted with mature trees, including the two redwoods. At the south-facing rear, the garden is enclosed and has a pool feature to one side.
The Area
Grange Court Road is a peaceful, private, residential road made up mainly of large detached houses. It is on the outskirts of Harpenden, an attractive and affluent town that offers a thriving high street, proximity to beautiful countryside and excellent transport links. Harpenden is also renowned for its large areas of park and common. Well-regarded schools in the area include Aldwickbury, Beechwood, St. Albans High School for Girls, St. Albans Boys School, Haileybury and Haberdashers Askes.
Trains run from Harpenden station to London Kings Cross Thameslink in approximately 25 minutes, and the M1, A1M and M25 are all within a five to 20-minute drive. Luton Airport is a short drive away.
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
John Bonnington (1929-2020), known affectionately as Jack, was an outstanding and versatile architect, town planner, designer and an accomplished figurative artist. Born in Bradford, later living in Gateshead, he studied at Durham University alongside contemporaries such as Newton Watson, Alison Smithson, Ken Merter and David Rock.
A talented draftsman, Bonnington was the recipient of many design prizes and scholarships which enabled him to travel extensively throughout post-war Europe, studying and sketching both modern movement and historic buildings.
On graduation with degrees in both Architecture (1951), when he was awarded the RIBA President’s Honorary Silver Medal, and Town Planning (1952), Bonnington took up a town planning appointment in Memphis Tennessee. This gave him an opportunity to travel throughout the USA and visit the work of Frank Lloyd Wright and Mies Van Der Rohe, experiences that influenced much of his later work.
On returning to the UK and after serving for two years with the Royal Engineers he joined the newly formed studio of Sir Basil Spence in Canonbury Place, North London, working on the design and construction of Coventry Cathedral. In the early 1960s and following the completion of the Cathedral, he proceeded to work on the masterplans and major faculty buildings for Southampton, Sussex and Exeter Universities.
In 1963 Sir Basil Spence restructured his practice into three separate partnerships practicing as Sir Basil Spence OM RA from his Canonbury office, Sir Basil Spence, Glover and Ferguson in Edinburgh and Sir Basil Spence, Bonnington & Collins operating from 1 Fitzroy Square London.
In this form, the partnership became one of the first multi-disciplinary integrated design offices in the UK, with planners, landscape designers, architects, interior and furniture designers, mechanical services engineers and cost consultants working together in a studio environment.
At this time Jack designed and built Ferrum House in Hertfordshire which featured in the “House and Garden Book of Modern Houses” was subsequently Listed Grade II and featured in the Twentieth Century Society compilation of The Best 100 Houses.
During the 60s and 70s in addition to the numerous faculty buildings completed at the Universities of Exeter, Sussex and Southampton, the firm’s work included the British Pavilion at Expo 67 Montreal, Salter’s Hall in the City of London, Hampstead Civic Centre, Kensington and Chelsea Town Hall, Westminster Tower on the South Bank and Sunderland Civic Centre.
In 1973 the practice reformed as the John S. Bonnington Partnership moving that same year from its Fitzroy Square office in London to the refurbished Grade I Listed Tyttenhanger House in Hertfordshire. This introduced the practice to the care and refurbishment of heritage buildings such as Salisbury Hall in Hertfordshire and subsequently overseas.
International success saw the Bonnington’s practice take up projects in Paris, Cyprus, the Middle East, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China, Australia, Guam, Hawaii and most significantly in Japan.
Many of the partnership’s buildings, designed under Jack’s leadership, were award winners and Listed by Historic England, including six faculty buildings at Sussex University, the Swiss Cottage Library, Salter’s Hall and his own house in Hertfordshire.
