The Node Court

The Node Court is a model dairy, later converted to offices, constructed in 1928 by Maurice Chesterton for Carl Holmes. Built with group value, the design draws inspiration from the Picturesque revival, notably Marie Antoinette’s dairy at Versailles. The building is primarily of rendered brick with a continuous thatched roof over a courtyard layout, and consists of mainly one storey with an attic. The windows are plastic casements, originally metal framed. The north entrance features a broad two-storey arch within a wide gable. Single-storey wings extend to either side of the courtyard. Opposite the courtyard is a two-storey timber-framed cottage with a balcony. A large three-storey tower is located to the south-east, featuring an eyebrow dormer and a circular pyramid roof. The circular courtyard served as a turning space for milk lorries. A covered way, formerly thatched, extends to the south-east and incorporates a mechanical bucket conveyor system, connecting to a low, rectangular thatched dungery with a hipped roof. The Node Court was designed to establish standards for hygiene and efficient dairy farming in England, and reflects contemporary expressionist architecture found in Holland.