traffic away from the village.
18 However, unlike Merlewood whose modern
extension was set in private grounds, the proposed new Penn Centre occupied
the heart of an ancient village … and there was uproar!
Casson’s plans seriously overstepped the villagers’ tolerance. Putting aside
the dubious historical basis upon which the plan was based, the general
Plate 18.4 Merlewood House as it was in the early 1960s and the Architect’s sketch for
the new Le Rossignol extension which was added to the right of the House in the
photo. Although eminently suited to its purpose, by today’s standards, the building
seems to be a hideous ‘carbuncle’ grafted onto a classical building. But 1963 was an era
of modernism; of Mary Quant, ‘Twiggy’ the Beatles and the austerity of the ‘50s was
swept away to make room for all things new. Whatever we think of it, the extension
allowed the DGAA to extend its care and it was only replaced in the late 1990s by a new
single-story build. Photographs courtesy of Elizabeth Finn Care/Turn2Us
480
D. Sheppard
18 However, unlike Merlewood whose modern
extension was set in private grounds, the proposed new Penn Centre occupied
the heart of an ancient village … and there was uproar!
Casson’s plans seriously overstepped the villagers’ tolerance. Putting aside
the dubious historical basis upon which the plan was based, the general
Plate 18.4 Merlewood House as it was in the early 1960s and the Architect’s sketch for
the new Le Rossignol extension which was added to the right of the House in the
photo. Although eminently suited to its purpose, by today’s standards, the building
seems to be a hideous ‘carbuncle’ grafted onto a classical building. But 1963 was an era
of modernism; of Mary Quant, ‘Twiggy’ the Beatles and the austerity of the ‘50s was
swept away to make room for all things new. Whatever we think of it, the extension
allowed the DGAA to extend its care and it was only replaced in the late 1990s by a new
single-story build. Photographs courtesy of Elizabeth Finn Care/Turn2Us
480
D. Sheppard