New Road, Cambridge

“Cannot fail to delight” – Nikolaus Pevsner on the architecture of Cambridgeshire

Completed circa 1973, this remarkable four-bedroom modernist house was designed by Cambridge-based practice Saunders Boston, and sits within the highly sought-after village of Barton, Cambridgeshire. A considered and recent renovation under the designer Stephen Dick has allowed new elements to gently elevate - while wonderfully preserving - its original late-mid-century fabric, creating a series of comfortable, sociable, and modern spaces. Extending to approximately 2,600 sq ft (excluding a separate annexe), the house follows an inverted layout, with voluminous proportions on the upper floor, to maximise day-long daylight; at the same time, a lush rear garden feels wonderfully secluded.

The Architect

Founded in 1919, Saunders Boston Architects is a well-established architectural practice with studios in Cambridge and Exeter. New Road’s exceptional modernist refurbishment was famously featured in Grand Designs Magazine; the piece celebrates the home’s mid-century modern bones, with exposed cement blockwork both inside and out, lending the distinguished house clean lines and a rugged texture.

The Tour

The house lies in the picturesque village of Barton, set amid the verdant and open green spaces of South Cambridgeshire. It has a decidedly modern silhouette, comprising concrete blocks and vertical strips of glazing.

A private driveway shapes the approach to the house, with space to park several cars, and a single garage with an adjacent workshop and storage space. The front door opens onto the ground floor, where three bedrooms and more intimate living rooms are arranged. The entrance hall is extraordinarily bright, with a rear glazed elevation facing north, and a reclaimed teak hardwood floor that matches the original mid-century woodblock – a detail thoughtfully repeated in most rooms.

To its left lies a living room and adjacent library, joined by reclaimed Crittall doors. Wide clerestory windows draw in natural light and enhance the pale, natural tones of exposed concrete on the walls. A wood-burning stove grounds the room, while a pair of glass doors opens to the garden at the rear, creating an inviting space for quiet moments.

Two of the bedrooms share a spacious Jack and Jill shower room, while the third is served by a bathroom with a built-in bathtub. The same refined material palette has been applied in each of the bedrooms, and carpet has been laid underfoot. A well-appointed utility room completes this floor.

A beautiful spiral staircase with sinuous curves rises to the first floor. Here, the layout is mostly open plan beneath a steeply pitched ceiling, with subtly delineated areas for cooking, dining, and relaxing. At its centre is a wonderful sitting room, with a wood-burning stove and floor-to-ceiling glazing that bathes the room in natural light. Accessed from here is a snug, tucked beneath the roofline.

Opposite lie the kitchen and dining room, a sociable space that flows naturally from one side to the other. The kitchen has been fitted with engineered teak cabinets, book-matched to the original fitted teak cupboards in the dining room. The colour scheme is kept deliberately simple, allowing the yellow glass splashback, vast skylight, and exposed concrete walls to take precedence.

A glazed, two-storey extension joins the living spaces to the principal bedroom, flooded with natural light and extending far-reaching views over the surrounding treetops. The bedroom has a wonderfully secluded feel, with leafy views and a neutral colour palette applied to calming effect. The en suite bathroom has a generous walk-in shower, enclosed in mesmerising teal tiles, while a clawfoot bathtub in the bedroom adds visual interest.

Externally, a converted annexe houses a spacious home office with a large picture window and peaceful views onto the garden.

Outdoor Space

The rear garden is north-facing and expansive, with an incredibly remote feel. Predominantly laid to lawn, it is bordered by established trees and borders filled with flourishing shrubs, while a patio terrace has plenty of space for outdoor dining and relaxing.

The Area

The picturesque village of Barton dates to Saxon times and was featured in the Doomsday Book. There is a buoyant community, including a Village Hall and a recreational ground with a children's play area, tennis courts, skating ramps and a bowls club. A short 5-minute stroll away is Burwash Manor, a family-run, organic working farm with an excellent selection of local produce including a deli, wine merchant, florist and butchers. The village has two pubs, a post office, a general store, and a well-loved cafe. There are also plenty of outstanding walking paths, including the Running Fox Walks which has signposts signalling the wildlife to look out for, as well as a path to Grantchester.

Cambridge is around a 14-minute drive away, or just under a 20-minute cycle, along a well-maintained cycle path. Cambridge offers some of the country’s best shops, dining opportunities and cultural events.

There is a wealth of excellent schooling options close to the house, including Barton Church of England Primary School which is rated “Good” and is a short 5-minute walk away. Alternatively, the University of Cambridge Primary School is rated as “Outstanding” by Ofsted and is a 7-minute drive. Comberton Village Secondary College also has an “Outstanding” rating and is also a 7-minute drive. The house lies within the catchment area for the high-achieving Hills Road Sixth Form College. There are also several independent choices to be found nearby in Cambridge.

Cambridge Station is around four miles away and provides direct services to London in around 50 minutes, while the newly opened Cambridge South Station serves runs quick and easy access to the Biomedical Campus with three NHS hospitals, as well as London. Road connections are excellent for travel by car into London and to both the north and the south.


Council Tax Band: G