31 Traps Hill (EHER 83192)

31 Traps Hill is an Arts and Crafts house designed by Sir Frank Baines, a notable architect responsible for many houses in Loughton and beyond, in 1927-8 for his brother Hubert who was the Chief Engineer of the Office of Works. It formed one of a pair of houses, the other being 29 Traps Hill. It is a two storey detached house in Arts and Crafts style, constructed of rendered brick with a red tile roof covering. The front of the building has been altered by the addition of a two storey extension in 1987.

NRHE data transfer: 31 Traps Hill was designed by Sir Frank Baines in 1927-8 for his brother Hubert who was the Chief Engineer of the Office of Works. It formed one of a pair of houses, the other being 29 Traps Hill which Baines lived in himself. In 1914 he had designed for his sister 41 The Uplands, Loughton, on which a blue heritage plaque is displayed. Baines trained under C. R. Ashbee and became the principal architect heading Her Majesty's Office of Works. He was responsible for a number of notable designs, such as the Grade II listed Thames House (1929-1930), London, which became the headquarters of MI5; and he was involved in major conservation projects, such as the preservation of the roof structure of Westminster Palace. Baines also designed a number of garden village estates in Greater London, notably the Well Hall Estate (1915), Roe Green Village (1918-20), and the Sunray Estate (1919-1921), which have all been designated conservation areas. 31 Traps Hill is one of the last houses he designed, and one of the few examples of Baines’ private domestic work. In 1987 a planning application to build a two-storey extension received consent. 31 Traps Hill is a two-storey detached house in the Arts and Crafts style. It is constructed of brick, partly rendered, with some tile-hanging, under pitched roofs covered in plain, red clay tiles. The irregular elevations are characterised by gabled bays, tall chimneys, a varied roofscape, and timber casements with leaded lights. The front of the building has been altered by the addition of a two-storey extension with a wide, garage door and two dormer windows above, added in 1987. The principal elevation has been significantly altered by the two-storey extension incorporating a garage, to the detriment of the original elevational design. Whilst it is a pleasing late Arts and Crafts house by an architect of national repute, the house lacks the architectural interest and imaginative design exemplified by listed examples. Although the panelled hall and staircase clearly demonstrate a good quality of design and craftsmanship, the rest of the house is comparatively plain. <1>