Landscape record 1246000001 - Gardens at High and Over

The small garden is contemporary with the house. Pevsner describes the original garden as 'geometrical like the house'. The garden contains flower beds, yew hedges, rose terraces, a pergola and below the house is a natural lane and wild garden. It was designed on an original plan by Mr Amyas Connel (designer of the house) to provide the amenities of modern life with the greatest of economy of means (B2).
Detailed account of the design and construction of High and Over with original plans and contemporary photographs and a small section on the landscape design (B4).
The core survival of the garden of a small country house of international significance, one of the first houses built in the Modernist style in England (1929-31), and 'of outstanding importance as the first truly convincing essay in the international style in England...... It is the first work by Amyas Connell who with Basil Ward and Colin Lucas formed the most important architectural practice designing modern movement houses in the inter-war period.' (Historic England) The strongly geometric garden design, now surviving in part only, was integral to the design of the house in providing an extended living space in similar formal style, with structures such as the water tower as a viewing platform as well as the roof and windows of the house overlooking the Chiltern valley far below. It was extensively written up in the architectural press during building and afterwards, in which the garden was also noted for its close relationship with the building. The garden was soon threatened as 'Metroland' spread. Much of the 5 ha. estate was developed in the 1960s so that housing now surrounds the site. The 0.75 ha core of Connell’s garden design, as executed in modified form by the owner Ashmole and his gardener George Marlow, survives with white-walled terraces, tiered rose beds, circular swimming pool and series of steps surrounding the Y-shaped house. These complement the Modernist style of the house. The contemporary Lodge and four Sun Houses in similar style, all within their own gardens, are a key part of the setting of the house and garden. See report for detail (B5).