Real Estate
A brief History of Sash Windows
October 22, 2009 by Robert Wood · Leave a Comment
Sliding windows have existed throughout Europe for Many years, dating back to the thirteenth century as very simple timber sliding shutters.
It was not until roughly the end of the sixteenth century that glazed versions started to appear that where horizontally sliding windows, and during the mid seventeenth century vertical sliding sash windows arrived, mainly in France.
Fearing the guillotine French nobility came to England and brought with them advances in sash window designs from across the channel.
One of the first glazed sliding sash windows was created and fitted for Henrietta Maria, the Queen Mother, who returning from France with French joiners, encouraged the renovation of Somerset House in London.
The exact history of how the weighted and balanced glazed sash window came about is not clear, although some say that the invention was a British one, many could say it was a french one.
A vertical sash window with glass and heavy thick glazing bars also known as Georgian bars to accommodate the very thin and delicate glass of the time, would have been a heavy beast of a window for the operator.
Doors of past had been counter balanced in a similar way of today’s sash windows, exactly who and when the system was applied to the sash window is unknown.
The sash window has never been patented nor has anybody throughout history has ever claimed to be its inventor.
The number of panes slowly reduced as glass manufacture began to produce higher quality stronger glazing, but it wasn’t until the Government of the day stopped demanding window Tax duty in 1845, when the price of the glass dropped, that the panes became larger, with only two panes per sash.
During a period of British history the Crown cleverly started to tax citizens based on how many glass windows they had in their home and thus it was considered a sign of wealth to have one large pane of glass per window.
Want to find out more about sash windows in London , then visit Robert Wood’s site on sash window restoration in the UK at www.sashwindowrepairs-london.co.uk.
categories: windows, sash windows, sash cords, property, restoration, history, glass, insulation, box sash windows, London, france, glazing
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