Marlowe Court, Parkleys, London TW10

This sublime three-bedroom apartment sits on the first floor of Marlowe Court, part of the Grade II-listed Parkleys Estate. The estate was the first project by Span co-founders Eric Lyons and Geoffrey Townsend, and is one of London’s finest residential modernist estates. The estate is set among beautiful communal gardens with flowering trees and expansive stretches of lawn. The interiors have been carefully restored and updated, from custom radiators to English Heritage-approved double glazing. Richmond and Kingston rail stations are both a short bus ride away and provide regular services into the city.



The Estate



Span is perhaps the most celebrated of all 20th-century British residential developers. Many of the developments they worked on throughout the south of England are now listed. They are known for their outstanding yet simple modern architectural style and considered landscaping.



Parkleys Estate is an astonishingly well-maintained example of Span's work. It demonstrates many of the tropes that came to define the firm's later style, including a hanging tile façade, ribbon glazing and considered use of ironmongery, signage and colour. For more information, please see the History section below.



The Tour



A rarely available home, this apartment is on the first floor of Marlowe Court. Inside, the entrance hall is drenched in 'Scullery' by Farrow & Ball and has been fitted with bespoke, integrated storage.



Original reeded screening opens onto a bright sitting room, where ribbons of glazing fill the room with light. Integrated window boxes run below. The fireplace has been reinstated with a newly installed wood burner and a quarry tile surround, designed as a contemporary reinterpretation of the original design. Cork flooring runs underfoot here and throughout, and timber-framed windows have been fitted with English Heritage-approved double glazing.



The kitchen sits adjacent, divided from the sitting room by an original glass partition. Here, cherrywood cupboard fronts from HØLTE are topped with a neutral-coloured counter from Slab Tech; integrated appliances include a Smeg electric oven and induction hob, Bosch fridge freezer and a Franke boiling water tap. The second reception room has space for a large dining table in front of full-width windows that face out to the courtyard, capturing leafy treetop views.



There are three bedrooms, two with fitted joinery. The main bedroom has been reinstated, with a clever pocket door making the most of the footprint. The second bedroom is also a generous double room, while the third corner bedroom has wide windows on two aspects.



In the bathroom, the original bathtub has been re-enamelled, with a white tiled finish to match the walls. All of the fixtures and fittings in the bathroom have been chosen to echo the Span-designed bathroom. Underfoot, an avocado-coloured rubber floor is a nod to the development's mid-century ethos. Storage is subtly concealed behind a mirror.



The communal areas and landing are of particular note in this estate; they have been impeccably executed with decorative brick, glass and bespoke Span details that have been lovingly maintained. Each apartment shares an external drying and storage room with its opposite neighbour, and there is a communal bike/buggy store on the ground floor.



Outdoor Space



Parkleys, like many Span schemes, is renowned for its expansive and meticulously maintained communal gardens that wrap around the estate. Mature flowering trees give the area a woodland feel while the lawns give all residents access to generous outdoor space.



Directly outside the apartment, there is a large communal courtyard.



A garage is also available, as part of a separate negotiation. There is also unallocated parking within the estate.



The Area



Ham is a picturesque district in south-west London, located between Richmond and Kingston-upon-Thames. It unfurls around a large, open common and is renowned for the quality of its period architecture, the most notable example of which is Ham House, described by the National Trust as “the most complete survival of 17th-century fashion and power”.



Ham Common Woods Nature Reserve is a five-minute walk away and runs towards the expanse of Richmond Park beyond. There is a parade of shops in Ham, including a monthly farmers’ market, plus wider shopping and dining opportunities in Richmond and Kingston. Local favourites within a 15-minute walk of the apartment include the Greedy Hare Italian restaurant and The New Inn pub on Ham Common.



Less than a 20-minute drive (or around a 15-minute cycle) away is Twickenham, which we've written in greater depth in our Journal.



There are plenty of excellent schooling options in the area, including Fern Hill Primary, The Kingston Academy, and Grey Court.



Richmond Station is around a 10-minute drive, or a short bus ride away, and has both Overground and Underground (District Line) services, in addition to National Rail services into central London. Kingston rail station is 11 minutes away by bus, and runs South Western services into the city.



Tenure: Share of Freehold / Lease Length: Approx. 956 years remaining / Service Charge: Approx. £3,120 per annum / Council Tax Band: E