Hill Pasture, Broxted, Essex

This fantastic five-bedroom house was built in the 1930s to a design by modernist titan Erno Goldfinger. Extended and updated over the years, it is defined by geometric lines, double-height proportions and arresting views preserved. Outdoors is spectacular: commissioned by the home's first owner, landscape gardener Humphrey Waterfield, are five acres of thoughtfully cultivated grounds with an original swimming pool, once described as "the most beautiful small garden in England". Located in Broxted, Essex, the house is a short drive from Bishop’s Stortford, which runs regular rail services to London Liverpool Street in around 40 minutes.

The Building

Hill Pasture was the first house designed by Goldfinger in collaboration with his business partner Gerald Flower. It was commissioned by Humphrey Waterfield, a well-respected artist and landscape gardener, who created the surrounding grounds before the house was completed in 1937. It was originally a single-storey structure, primarily constructed from brick and glass.

An upper floor was added in the 1950s and was originally used as a light-filled studio. The house was further extended by renowned modernist architect John Winter in the late 1990s, and retains many of its original features, as well as its glorious surrounding gardens with elevated views of the lush green countryside beyond. More recently, an air-source heat pump has been added.

The Tour

Defined by its clean lines, red brick, and white rendered facades and sheets of glazing, the house cuts a striking figure amid its peaceful rural location. The house is accessed via a discreet door inset in a neat brick wall. It opens to reveal lush green gardens on one side, with a gravelled seating area on the other. A dramatic covered colonnade bisects the two, leading to a glazed front door.

Inside, a light-filled entrance hall has a full-height internal window that captures views to the garden beyond. On one side, a raised garden lounge with a floor-to-ceiling window is a perfect perch to admire the view. A short flight of steps descends to an expansive open-plan space with distinct sitting and dining areas. Here, a wide inglenook houses a log burner, and part of the wall is clad in timber. Sliding doors open to the garden.

In the magnificent double-height space at the rear of the plan is the kitchen. Here, sheets of glazing extend towards the upper level, filling the space with a wonderful quality of natural light. Stainless-steel work surfaces top oak kitchen units inspired by Goldfinger's original design. Appliances include an AEG oven with an induction hob and a cherry-red gas Aga. Designed by Nagan Johnson, the generous utility room gives access to a cellar with a temperature-controlled wine store.

Also on the ground floor is a shower room, a WC and a bedroom with floor-to-ceiling sliding doors that reveal a serene courtyard.

An impressive sculptural oak spiral staircase winds up from the kitchen to the first-floor gallery, where large windows capture treetop-skimming vistas. The voluminous principal bedroom is at the front of the plan, with soaring ceilings, glazing on four sides and a large private balcony. A bright en suite bathroom has a bathtub and a separate shower.

There are two additional bedrooms on this floor, and a shared bathroom. A versatile fourth bedroom tucked behind the staircase is currently used as a peaceful study.

A black, profiled-steel clad garden annexe - designed by John Winter - provides further accommodation. It has a large sitting room, a kitchen, a WC and two bedrooms, one of which is currently used as a home office.

Outdoor Space

Hill Pasture is embraced by five acres of beautifully landscaped gardens, originally conceived by Waterfield and his lifelong friend Nancy Tennant as an "English paradise". The gardens have been the subject of much acclaim over the years; in the early 1960s, landscape architect Lanning Roper visited and wrote that there was a ‘curious blending of Riviera and English gardening, revealing an understanding and affection for the elements of both’.

In recent years, the house’s current owners have worked with landscape architect Liz Lake to restore its wonderful grounds; a yew hedge leading straight up the hillside, which became known as ‘Chatsworth’ by Waterfield and his contemporaries, remains the focal point of the gardens today. A total of six distinct terraces offer plenty of opportunities for taking in the views.

An array of mature trees and planting adds colour and vibrancy to the garden, and beds are filled with roses and perennials. An orchard is tucked to one side, while a serene swimming pool is framed by an arbour climbing with roses. A beautiful classical pillared temple stands within the grounds, designed by Waterfield to be a 'Temple of Love'.

The Area

Broxted is a peaceful village surrounded by lush green countryside. It has a village hall and a church, with further useful amenities around a 12-minute drive away in nearby Great Dunmow. Local favourites include De La Terre, serving delicious natural wine and tapas, and Le Petite Parisien café. For provisions, there is a local butcher, a fresh fish stall twice a week, several bakeries and a Co-op. The ever-popular Luckins Wine Store is the perfect spot to pick up a complementary bottle or two.

The historic town of Thaxted is also nearby, home to Dick Turpin’s cottage, a remarkable Guildhall, and John Webb’s Windmill, as well as a good selection of pubs, cafés, and shops, including a butcher and a bakery, and an interiors shop, Vintage Style Living.

The popular town of Saffron Walden, recently described by The Sunday Times as the 'best place to live in the UK', is a 20-minute drive away. There is a vibrant Saturday market with an enticing oyster bar, an award-winning arts venue, Saffron Hall, alongside a host of independent shops and cafes, including Chaters, Mini Miss Bakery and Hill Street Chocolatier.

The larger market town of Bishop’s Stortford is also a 20-minute drive from the house. It has a broad range of shops and supermarkets and offers many dining options, such as Cyclo Pho & Vietnamese Café, and Paisa, a popular wine bar that also serves a range of delectable antipasti platters. Le Peche Mignon is an excellent spot for breakfast or for stocking up on deli goods.

There are plenty of opportunities for exploring nature in the local area. The National Trust-maintained Hatfield Forest is a 19-minute drive from the house, while Audley End House and Gardens, a large Victorian estate with exquisite gardens, is only 22 minutes away by car. The latter also hosts excellent live music events during the summer.

There are several well-regarded primary and secondary schools close by, and the independent option of Bishop’s Stortford College is within a 20-minute drive of Hill Pasture. Hockerill Anglo-European College, also in Bishop's Stortford and Felstead School in Dunmow, are very well regarded too, while Saffron Walden County High is another excellent local option, together with the sixth form colleges in Cambridge, including Hills Road and Long Road.

Despite its rural setting, the house is well-positioned for easy access to London. Stansted Airport is around a 13-minute drive or bus ride away, with trains reaching Tottenham Hale in 33 minutes and Liverpool Street in approximately 47 minutes. Regular services to London and Cambridge also run from nearby Elsenham ad Stansted Mountfitchet, as well as Bishop’s Stortford. There is easy access by car to the national motorway system via the A120, the M11 and the M25.

Council Tax Band: G