Taymount Grange VIII
Taymount Rise, London SE23
Architect: G. Bertram Carter
Register for similar homes"Crittal windows draw in a wealth of light and frame the surrounding greenery"
This characterful one-bedroom apartment is on the top floor of the little-known modernist gem Taymount Grange. Internally, the space is enlivened by geometric tiles and pops of colour, highlighting carefully preserved original features, including large crittall windows that frame the surrounding greenery. The estate has ample green space and extensive communal gardens, which contain allotments and wide lawns. The building lies at the centre of Forest Hill with its leafy woodland walks and many lovely cafes.
The Building
Designed by George Bertram Carter, Taymount Grange is remarkably evocative of its era, its white-painted stucco punctuated by striking mint-coloured Crittall windows. Its communal areas are in very good condition and still retain many original Art Deco features. There is lift access to all floors from the entrance lobby. Richly carpeted stairwells hint at the glamour of the building’s early life when a restaurant and lounge occupied the lower floors. The building also has a caretaker and plenty of bike storage. For more information, please see the History section below.
The Tour
The apartment has an intercom system for access. Entry to the apartment is on the third floor, opening into a hallway lined with peg board storage for hanging coats.
Off the hallway is a bright living room and kitchen, where a Crittall window, complete with brass handles, frames elevated views of the communal gardens whilst simultaneously drawing in a wealth of light. Original floorboards run underfoot and have been painted in white adding to a sense of airiness. A smartly composed kitchen has been arranged along two walls around a central dining area. Bespoke ply cabinetry, faced in Ecru, house a large butler sink and have been topped with warming oak tones. The splashback has been lined with encaustic tiles, handmade in Morocco, for a pop of colour. Shelving has been introduced above the units for displaying cookbooks and kitchenware. Original doors can be found throughout the apartment.
The main bedroom is located on the far end of the plan and is also characterised by a large Crittall window. Mirroring the living space, the bedroom looks out onto the green lawns. A dusty pink hue adorns a feature wall that chimes harmoniously with dark wooden flooring creating a sense of calm.
Located between the living area and bedroom is a modern bathroom fitted with neutral tiles and chrome sanitary ware. Storage has been thoughtfully maximised across shelving and recessed nooks for toiletries. The room feels incredibly bright, care of a large Crittall window that sends ripples of light across the space.
Outdoor Space
All residents of Taymount Grange are able to use the wonderful communal gardens to the front and rear of the building. These tranquil and verdant spaces include a shared barbeque area and established allotments with a variety of fruit trees.
The Area
Taymount Grange is located close to the Horniman Museum and Gardens. It is well-placed for the shops and restaurants of Dulwich Village and East Dulwich, as well as the open spaces of Sydenham Woods and Dulwich Park. Local highlights include Bona, Pantry, and Aga’s Little Deli.
All of the amenities of Forest Hill, including the railway station, are approximately five minutes away on foot. Regular trains run from Forest Hill to London Bridge, with a journey time of 12 minutes. The station is also now part of the London Overground, with trains to Dalston via Canada Water (Jubilee Line), Shadwell (DLR), Shoreditch High Street and Whitechapel (District and Hammersmith & City Lines).
Tenure: Leasehold
Lease Length: approx. 120 years remaining
Service Charge: approx. £2,400 per annum
Ground Rent: approx. £120 per annum
Council Tax Band: B
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
George Bertram Carter trained at the Royal College of Arts and was a pupil of Sir Edwin Lutyens from 1919 to 1922. He became a member of the MARS group, of which he was appointed Honorary Treasurer in 1944. Another of his residential blocks, Litchfield Court in Richmond (1935), was listed at Grade II in 2004.
In his thesis, The Servant Problem Solved: Modernist 1930s Residential Blocks, Damian Minto describes the history of Taymount Grange:
“[It] is built on the site of the original Queens tennis club. An important similarity with many modernist schemes was the fact that the existing earlier building (often a detached villa) was to be demolished to make way for the new block of flats. The site’s natural contours made it an ideal location for panoramic views of the London docks and rural edges of suburbia, a feature of which the flats take full advantage. The aimed new tenants were the middle classes – an important similarity with all modernist British residential schemes.
“Facilities available for residents included guestrooms, lounge, restaurant, terrace, landscaped gardens, swimming pool, seven tennis courts and a putting green. Taymount Grange was also fully staffed with everyone from porters to domestic help.”
From the expanses of white-painted stucco to the handsome metal windows and chrome-handled entrance doors, Taymount Grange has retained the unmistakably Thirties details that give it a romantic Modernist appeal.
