The modernist home of composer and conductor Imogen Holst has been granted listed status for its architectural and cultural significance
The former home of composer and conductor Imogen Holst in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, has been listed at Grade II by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the advice of Historic England. Designed by architects HT (Jim) and Elizabeth (Betty) Cadbury-Brown, the single-storey modernist house was built between 1962 and 1964 and is associated with Aldeburgh’s longstanding musical heritage.
The house was designed for Holst, the daughter of composer Gustav Holst, who played a key role in the Aldeburgh Festival, working closely with Benjamin Britten from 1952. It was here, according to heritage minister Chris Bryant, that “some of the greatest musical minds of the 20th century converged, exchanged ideas and laid the foundations of the Aldeburgh Festival – now a cornerstone of British classical music in its 76th year.”
Holst had previously lived in a series of rented properties before moving to 9 Church Walk. The Cadbury-Browns, who had been involved in the design of the 1951 Festival of Britain’s Southbank site, built the house on their own land, with Holst paying rent in the form of a crate of wine at Christmas and festival tickets.
The house features a soundproofed music room where Holst worked, as well as carefully positioned windows framing views of the nearby parish church. The interior retains original elements such as built-in shelving, recessed curtain tracking, and Holst’s writing desk. A coloured glass panel, positioned in front of the desk to diffuse sunlight, remains in place, along with Gustav Holst’s oak music cupboard, used by Imogen to store his manuscripts.
Historic England’s chief executive Duncan Wilson described the listing as a recognition of both the house’s architectural significance and its role in British musical history. “The property tells the story of Imogen Holst’s contribution to British music,” he said, adding that it also highlights “her connection to the Aldeburgh Festival, which continues to enrich our cultural landscape today.”
Catherine Croft, director of the Twentieth Century Society, noted that the house represents a particular moment in mid-century modernist living. “This modest mid-century bungalow was home to a hugely significant figure in 20th-century British music,” she said, and reflected “the modern way of living.”
Compared to Cadbury-Brown’s more prominent London landmark, the Royal College of Art building next to the Royal Albert Hall, she described 9 Church Walk as “a hidden gem” but one that is “thoroughly deserving of its place on the national register.”
Now owned by Britten Pears Arts, the property is available as a holiday rental and is opened to the public annually as part of Heritage Open Days.
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