15-20, DAVY PLACE

A group of terraced bungalows forming part of a housing estate for elderly residents, built between 1962 and 1963 by the former Loddon Rural District Council, designed by Tayler and Green. The bungalows are constructed of red, black, yellow-grey, and dapple light brick, with decorative treatment to the gable ends. They have orange and brown pantiled roofs with wood bargeboards, brick chimneystacks with angled concrete coping and clay pots, and flush eaves, with rainwater pipes running straight down without decorative “swan-necks.” The plans are wide, approximately 13 meters. The site, which was an old gravel pit, has a change in level allowing garages to be incorporated below the bungalows on the south side of Davy Place. Variations in the exterior design are due to orientation and aspect, but typically include a recessed entrance with a half-glazed door flanked by white-painted wood trelliswork extending over adjacent windows, a main three-light steel casement window, and a boarded external store with a glazed panel. Davy Place demonstrates the architects' attention to detail and incorporation of vernacular forms without imitation. The streetscape is carefully planned, featuring a terrace of four bungalows along the front, a set-back paved area fronted by a single bungalow, a day room, and a two-story warden's house, while opposite are raised gable ends and linked brick crinkle-crankle walls screening the gardens. This housing estate is part of a larger group including numbers 1-16 and 10-15 (consecutive) Davy Place, and a common room. While the interior layout is noteworthy, the individual units do not have exceptional features. Related properties include numbers 5-9 (odd) High Bungay Road, numbers 6-10 (even) Low Bungay Road, and numbers 3-13 (odd) Davy Terrace, Low Bungay Road. The scheme exemplifies the architects’ “picturesque” design approach, responding to a semi-urban setting and winning a Ministry of Housing Medal in 1964 and a Civic Trust Award in 1965.