THE ‘MODERNIST’ delights of Frinton are to be showcased in the first ever dedicated Essex Architectural Weekend.

Radical Essex is a two day festival organised to celebrate the county’s pioneering role in 20th Century architecture.

Frinton will feature in the event along with the Bata Estate in East Tilbury and Silver End Village, between Braintree and Witham.

Coachloads of architecture lovers are expected in Frinton during the weekend of September 10-11, where they will be hosted by the Frinton & Walton Heritage Trust.

The Frinton Park Estate will feature in the weekend as it was ground-breaking development when built during the early 1930s.

Originally, it was planned to feature 1,000 homes, hoping to make the modernist art deco style homes, when developed and promoted by architect Oliver Hill.

The British public found the designs with their flat roofs a little too radical for them and the 200 acre estate was left unfinished. They were also more expensive to build than forecast.

However, of the 40 that were built, around 15 remain, including the famous Round House, built in 1934, as the show home for the planned new town.

John Barter of the heritage trust will be leading tours of visitors around the park estate, with two walks each day. The trust museum will be open over the weekend.

“The Frinton Park Estate, between Frinton and Walton, is the largest collection of modernist houses in the country,” he said.

The walks will include 12 Easton Way, plus 11 and 18 Graces Walk, which were all built as part of the Frinton Park Estate.

Bookings for the tours must be done through the Radical Essex Website. Radical Essex is being led by the Focal Point Gallery in Southend in partnership with Visit Essex and Firstsite.

Focal Point director Joe Hill said: “Through this project we are excited to have the opportunity to share and celebrate the important role Essex has played in the development of contemporary architecture in the UK. This is apparent not only in the design styles, but in the varied and radical approaches to social structures. It is utterly unique in this regard, and yet so underrepresented. We hope that this programme will help to encourage people to reflect on the innovative past of the county, in order to promote experimental and pioneering building for the future.”

For the full programme, visit radicalessex.uk.