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Beaulieu, Spence House

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House (Period Unassigned)

Site Name Beaulieu, Spence House

Classification House (Period Unassigned)

Canmore ID 284717

Site Number SU40SW 1

NGR SU 4402 1015

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/284717

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Digital Images

Sketch plan of ramped hard berth and mud berth.
Sketch plan of ramped hard berth and mud berth. Ground floor conversion. Elevation, and floor plan showing furniture layout.View of model of early scheme.View of model of early scheme.View of entrance and entrance courtyard.View of sitting room with balcony doors open.Isometric sketch layout of kitchen.Detail.View from SW, Beaulieu.Swimming pool and stair extension. Detail of floor design for pool. Sections.General view from S.Beaulieu, Spence House. Detail of sculpted swimming pool floor (designed by John Spence).View of kitchen.Source material. View of 'Masterplan Kitchen' quick meals bar and storage unit.Sketch details of bunk beds.View of dining and sitting area.Swimming pool and stair extension. Reflected ceiling plan showing stair addition. Site plan.Bedroom suite extension. Elevations.View of white hammered concrete fireplace.General view.General view.View of sitting room with balcony doors open.Swimming pool and stair extension. Details of pool and filter system. Plans and elevations for scheme no. 2.Site plan.Bedroom suite extension. Plan. Bedroom suite extension. Plan showing alternative for shorter link.View of dining area.General view.General view.Digital copy of Boxgrove House pamphlet (page 10, elevation of Boxgrove House detailed by Basil Spence, drawing by BARBER 1955).Site map.Bedroom suite extension. Plan.View of model of early scheme.Beaulieu, Spence House. View of balcony and sitting room.View of white hammered concrete fireplace.Studio extension. Sketch plan and elevation. View of dining and sitting area.View of sitting room.General view.First floor plan.Elevations.Plan and elevations of alternative scheme.Plans and elevations.Bedroom suite extension. Sections. Bedroom suite extension. Elevations showing alternative for shorter link.View of entrance and entrance courtyard.Beaulieu, Spence House. View of Anthony Blee on balcony.General view of house and entrance courtyard from SE.Plan and elevations of alternative scheme.Plan and elevations of alternative scheme.View from E showing Geoffrey Clarke sculpture.Layout plan.Studio extension. Sketch plan and elevation. General view.Detail.England, Beaulieu, Spence House, studio extension. Sketch elevation. England, Beaulieu, Spence House Sketch detail of bookcase.Beaulieu, Spence House. Sketch detail of dresser.First floor plan.Plans for ground floor and first floor.Bedroom suite extension. Plan. Bedroom suite extension. Plan and details. View of Beaulieu River from house.View of the Geoffrey Clarke sculpture.View of entrance and entrance courtyard.External view of concrete steps and entrance door at Beaulieu, Hampshire, the holiday home of Sir Basil Spence.Beaulieu, Spence House. View along the terrace.Beaulieu, Spence House. View of balcony.Ground floor plan.View of studio.

Administrative Areas

  • Council Not Applicable
  • Parish Beaulieu
  • Former Region Hampshire
  • Former District New Forest
  • Former County Hampshire

Sir Basil Spence

Sir Basil Spence

Building Notes

In 1958 Basil Spence submitted an application to Hampshire County Council to develop plot number 12 of the former Estate of Beaulieu Manor. The 2.7 acre plot is situated on the bank of the River Beaulieu and is within easy commuting distance of London. This made it a perfect spot for Spence, a keen yachtsman, to design a holiday home for himself and his family.

The house is two-storey, flat roofed and geometric in design. The ground floor is white painted brick with strip windows and was originally designed as a storage space for Spence's boat, a workroom and a changing area. The upper floor is concrete and timber clad. This floor originally had a deep-cantilevered balcony overlooking the river, a large open plan living area, a small galley kitchen, and bedrooms and bathrooms to the back. To the north of the house in the woods is a separate studio.

One of the main features of the living area is a massive concrete fireplace designed by Spence and engineered by Ove Arup and Partners.

Archive Details

The Sir Basil Spence Archive illustrates that Spence altered and extended the house to accommodate the changing needs of his extending family. The collection includes drawings for the alterations that were done to the house, as well as a complete set of drawings for an unexecuted bedroom suite.

The Archive shows that by 1962 Spence had drawn up plans for the conversion of the ground floor into a kitchen and dining room. By 1963 a stair tower had been added to the east side of the house in order to provide interior access between the two floors. The next change undertaken by Spence was to glaze the balcony in order to increase the size of the first floor living space. As well as altering the main house Spence also extended the studio. He added a double bedroom and bathroom to create a self-contained guest suite.

Archive Summary

The Sir Basil Spence Archive holds 48 manuscript folders, 292 drawings and 62 photographs relating to Spence House. The photographs include images taken by Henk Snoek of the house before any of the alterations were undertaken. There are also a number of personal photographs of the family holidaying at Beaulieu as well a copy of House & Garden magazine featuring the house on the front cover.

This text was written as one of the outputs of the Sir Basil Spence Archive Project, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, 2005-08.

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