Barbican Living
Description of John Trundle Court
John Trundle Court (completed in October 1972) is a terrace block which runs north to south on the north podium of the estate along Aldersgate Street. It forms a 'U' with Bunyan Court, an east to west terrace which it joins near the YMCA, and Bryer Court, another north to south terrace block opposite. John Trundle Court and Bunyan Court are connected, but Bryer Court stands slightly apart on its own.
There are 6 storeys of flats and 2 of penthouse flats, containing 117 one-room flats and 16 two-room penthouse maisonettes. The flats are numbered 1 - 133. As in Breton House, which it closely resembles, the flats are almost exclusively studio flats of Type F1A or F2A, with equally compact two-room penthouses of Type P2A.
You can get to John Trundle from Fann Street, past the launderette and up the ramp to the north podium. Lift lobbies to the flats are on a mezzanine floor, up a flight of steps from the podium. At 03 level you have to venture through an open lift well to reach Bunyan Car Park. I say venture because, there are a lot of pigeons sitting on the handrail several storeys up and they are not facing your way. Part of Holmes Place Health Club is underneath the block.
John Trundle Court and the other two blocks enclose Beech Gardens, a pleasant square combined with a garden and an attractive miniature lake on the Bryer Court side. It has interestingly shaped gardens set in the brick surface, which is itself at different levels. The bricks have been laid in patterns which lead you through bushes to stepped areas where there are seats. Beech Gardens becomes John Trundle Highwalk near the bridge over Aldersgate Street to the Barbican Station.
