9/9A Old St Andrew'S Mansions

Two flats, built in 1936 by Ernest George Trobridge. The flats are constructed of brick with rendering to the upper storey, and have a tiled roof. They are two storeys high, with a flat on each floor, and an external brick staircase leading to the upper flat, situated behind a brick retaining wall. The upper windows have lattice-paned timber casement windows; the original doors have been stripped and varnished. The interiors retain panelling to the living rooms, featuring a picture rail, a deep frieze, and a ceiling cove above. Doors are lined in matching timber. Other rooms have coved ceilings, and the bedroom has a picture rail. These flats are included for their significance as part of the best-preserved group of flats designed by Ernest George Trobridge, a local architect. Trobridge's own house in Slough Lane is already listed. He began his career in the 1920s, developing a building technique utilising unseasoned timber and employing ex-servicemen to create affordable and distinctive homes. In the 1930s, he designed flats of brick with quirky detailing, of which only Nos.1/1a- 12/12a St Andrew's Mansions survive in listable condition. The building’s detailing reflects Trobridge’s Swedenborgian beliefs, which linked worldly, spiritual, and divine ideas, influencing the idiosyncratic design of chimneys, staircases, and external features. This approach also enriched the interiors, resulting in remarkable artisan rented housing.