Little Winch

Little Winch is a house dating from 1935, designed by M. Fry for George Butler. It is a notable example of the International Modern Style. The construction is primarily brick, with a timber-framed first-floor studio clad in tiles. It features a flat roof and comprises two storeys, with a taller block to the right. The front elevation has a projecting entrance bay centrally placed, with a large fixed window on the ground floor, a two-light casement above, and an entrance in the return side. A plain bay sits to the left. To the right, a covered walk, supported by three posts, has a hood over the ground floor and a four-light horizontal window on the first floor. A taller, set-back block is located further to the right. The ground floor of this block is rendered, with an entrance to the left, a two-light casement in the centre, and a garage to the right. The tile-hung first floor, originally weatherboarded, has a large five-by-two-light horizontal window. Oversailing eaves are a feature throughout. The garden elevation is extensively glazed, with a projecting continuous glazing to the living room returning to the right; elsewhere, there are three- and four-light horizontal windows, along with tilehanging to the studio.

The interior is accessed under a canopy, leading to a small hallway with green tiling and a wooden staircase with an open balustrade. A window beside the door provides a view through the house to the garden. The spacious living room is supported by thin steel columns. A stove is built into an alcove, flanked by original shelving and a display shelf for placing items. A folding partition once separated the dining area from the remainder of the room; however, a fine hardwood floor now runs uninterrupted. The dog-leg staircase, with an open decorative steel handrail, leads to three main bedrooms, a maid's room, and a studio (uninspected) with a raised dais and higher ceiling.

Originally planned for reinforced concrete construction, Watford Rural District Council required a more traditional building method. Little Winch showcases exceptionally fine cupboards, floorings, and timberwork. The house represents a pivotal shift in modern architecture, moving away from a purely white concrete aesthetic to a less austere synthesis.