Nine Church Walk in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, has been listed at Grade II following support by C20 Society. The single-storey modernist home was built 1962-64 to designs by notable architects HT (Jim) and Elizabeth (Betty) Cadbury-Brown, for the acclaimed composer, arranger and conductor Imogen Holst, daughter of composer Gustav Holst.

In 1952, Imogen Holst was invited to assist composer Benjamin Britten who was working on his latest commission, the opera Gloriana, a work marking the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Imogen accepted and became Britten’s musical assistant, then later Artistic Director of the Aldeburgh Festival.

Imogen occupied a series of lodgings and rented flats in Aldeburgh until 9 Church Walk became her home. In thanking the Cadbury-Browns for the house, which was built on their land, Holst wrote: “…my IMMENSE and perpetual gratitude for the loveliest house in the world. I think of you both every night of the year and send blessings in your direction for having enabled me to get on with my work in such heavenly quiet and solitude and comfort.”  Imogen’s rent consisted only of a crate of wine for the Cadbury-Browns at Christmas and a steady supply of Aldeburgh Festival tickets. She lived at 9 Church Walk until her death in 1984.

Cadbury-Brown architects

The Cadbury-Browns were key figures in British modernism. HT (Jim) Cadbury-Brown (1913-2009) was trained at the Architectural Association, he worked with Hungarian-born British architect and furniture designer Ernõ Goldfinger and established his own practice in 1938. His notable works include two major pavilions (Land of Britain and People of Britain) and the central esplanade at the 1951 Festival of Britain, and later the Royal College of Art on Kensington Gore, London (1959-63)

Elizabeth (Betty) Cadbury-Brown (1922-2002) was born in America, trained at Columbia University before moving to London in 1948. Known for her exceptional attention to detail, she formed a close professional partnership with Jim following their marriage in 1953.

Following a successful period working on Snape Maltings arts complex in Suffolk, the Cadbury-Browns purchased a plot in Aldeburgh and built a Japanese influenced house for themselves (3 Church Walk, also Grade II listed), and another for Imogen Holst. The Holst house had to be built cheaply, but there is no marked contrast between the character of the well-funded and the lower-budget house. Each is designed in relation to its garden, with light a palpable element of the architecture.

The house features innovative design elements including a soundproofed music room where Imogen Holst worked and thoughtfully positioned windows framing views of the parish church. The property retains many original features, including built-in shelving systems, curtains with recessed tracking, and Holst’s personal items such as her writing desk and coloured glass panel hung on the window in front of her desk to diffuse the sunlight. The property also houses Gustav Holst’s oak music cupboard, where Imogen stored her father’s manuscripts.

The modern way of living

The house is now owned by Britten Pears Arts and is available as a holiday rental, allowing visitors to experience the special atmosphere of this artistic haven. It is also open to the public every year for Heritage Open Days. In 2006, C20 trustee Alan Powers put on the exhibition of the Cadbury-Browns work at the Royal Academy called Elegant Variation.

Catherine Croft, Director, The Twentieth Century Society, commented:

“This modest mid-century bungalow was home to a hugely significant figure in 20th century British music, and where Imogen Holst exemplified the modern way of living.”

“Architect Jim Cadbury-Brown is perhaps best known for his assertive building for the Royal College of Art – right next to the Royal Albert Hall. Tucked away in a Suffolk village, the small but exquisite house at 9 Church Walk is a hidden gem in comparison yet thoroughly deserving of its place on the national register.”