Stopped along the A370 at Flax Bourton today to take a look at the modernist houses there.
No really. They’re off the main road, tucked between the olde worlde cottages of the original village and a new executive homes development.
Dunno much about them but there’s five of them on a private road looking out across fields towards the 370. It’s a restful place.
Apparently they were built in the early 70s by a firm called Artist Constructor, which was basically two brothers – Tim and Bob Organ.
Anyone who knows any more, feel free to get in touch.
The ever dependable Fray Bentos, of course, has a picture of one (above).
There’s a good, if slightly distant, view of them from the new bit of NCN33 between Flax Bourton and Backwell.
There are some interesting aerial views of these on Google Earth at 51.25.19 North 2.42.50 West (search on Flax Bourton and look for the tennis court)
An article in the Guardian (21 February 2009) concerns one of the houses. Dates seem to vary between 1971 and 1974 as to when they were built. Another of the Organ Bros houses went on sale in Forest of Dean at end last year, according to thisisgloucestershire.
Tim Organ’s old partner in JT, John Pontin, lives in now elite Chew Magna just a few miles away from Flax. A Bristol University honorary degree recipient, he seems to be a man in the same noble mould and generation as the red- trousered one and, if memory suffices, he was involved in developing the green space neighbouring the ongoing Chocolate Factory debacle.