Lichfield Court, in Richmond, London, consists of two Grade II listed purpose-built blocks of flats. Designed by Bertram Carter and built in fine Streamline Moderne style, it was completed in 1935.

Lichfield House

Lichfield Court is built on the site of Lichfield House, named when the London residence of the

Bishop of Lichfield The Bishop of Lichfield is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lichfield in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers 4,516 km2 (1,744 sq. mi.) of the counties of Powys, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire and Wes ...

. Wealthy sugar factor Henry Lascelles (1690–1753) bought the house and died there by suicide. Novelist

Mary Elizabeth Braddon Mary Elizabeth Braddon (4 October 1835 – 4 February 1915) was an English popular novelist of the Victorian era. She is best known for her 1862 sensation novel ''Lady Audley's Secret'', which has also been dramatised and filmed several times. ...

(1837–1915), lived there from before 1874 until her death. The house was described in 1907 as a "grand old red brick building with a beautiful formal garden". Sir Henry George Norris was the final resident. The house and grounds were acquired in 1933 by George Broadbridge and redeveloped into the present two blocks of flats.

Design

The company estate office and

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' office are situated in the main

lobby Lobby may refer to: * Lobby (room), an entranceway or foyer in a building * Lobbying, the action or the group used to influence a viewpoint to politicians :* Lobbying in the United States, specific to the United States * Lobby (food), a thick stew ...

of the major block. The buildings are surrounded by estate grounds which are a mix of gardens and unallocated parking, the major block having a decorative inner courtyard garden and pond. Initially intended for the rental market, the flats conformed to six different types ranging from studio flats with no alcove, to studio flats with one alcove or two alcoves, and one to three-bedroom flats, some with balconies.

Listed status

The buildings were awarded grade II listing in January 2004. The

Twentieth Century Society The Twentieth Century Society (C20) is a British charity which campaigns for the preservation of architectural heritage from 1914 onwards. The society's interests embrace buildings and artefacts that characterise 20th-century Britain. It is for ...

reported the listing, saying:

Popular culture

Lichfield Court was used as Gerda's flat in the TV adaptation of Agatha Christie's novel ''

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe" is a popular English language nursery rhyme and counting-out rhyme. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 11284. Lyrics A common version is given in ''The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes'': :One, two, buckl ...

''.

Notes and references

External links

Official site of Lichfield Court
{{LB Richmond 1935 establishments in England Apartment buildings in London Art Deco architecture in London Grade II listed buildings in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames Residential buildings completed in 1935 Richmond, London Streamline Moderne architecture in the United Kingdom Christopher Wren buildings