Hardwood Sliding Sash Windows We Supplied and Installed in a Victorian Villa (Halifax)
The History of Hardwood Victorian Sash Windows
This week, we are going back in time (19th Century to be exact!) to reveal the history of Victorian timber sash windows, which remain a popular choice to add elegance to your property! Keep reading as we promise that the history of how timber sash windows have shaped over the years, is definitely a fascinating one!
The word ‘window’, which first appeared in the 13th century, originates from the Old Norse for ‘wind eye’. Back then, a window referred to a non glazed hole in a roof and its early version simply was a hole in the wall, which provided little protection against the elements. Later, cloth, paper, animal hide and flattened horn were all used to provide temporary respite against the weather.
The Victorian era introduced innovation and revolutionised the manufacturing process. With the establishment of a railway system, raw materials such as slate from North Wales and mass produced bricks from Bedfordshire, transformed the construction process. Iron railings, decorative shingles, stained glass windows, rooves sporting, different angles and stonework were outstanding features of the 19th Century.
The 19th Century brought a lull in its evolution and its usage became generally sporadic. Compared to the 18th Century, patterns of glazing bars appear to have changed during the Victorian era. Narrow margin lights were common, frequently filled with newly fashionable coloured glass. Sometimes glazing bars were curved into interlocking, pointed Gothic-style arches for “Venetian windows”.
Victorian Timber Windows via Pinterest
Victorian Gothic-inspired villas and some terraces used four-paned sash windows. These windows were also adapted by low-cost terraced homes. Due to the advancements in glass production during the 19th Century, a single glazing bar was enough for sash windows. Even rural properties benefited from these glass production techniques.
Finally, sash windows became the most popular type of windows during the Victorian Era. Cheaper glass manufacturing techniques and the benefits of installing these type of windows made them the standard for homes and buildings around London.
At Patchett Joinery we have been manufacturing sliding sash windows, casement windows and timber doors for our customers since 1840. All our high quality windows and doors are manufactured and hand-finished at our Bradford factory and supplied throughout the UK.
From design to manufacture and installation, with Patchett Joinery you’re in skilled hands!
Combining the best materials, experience, craftsmen and the latest technological advances, we create wood sliding sash windows and doors to any specification, which stand the test of time.
We use sustainable timber and environmentally-friendly processes to minimise our impact on the natural environment.
From our Bradford site where the timber windows and doors are designed and made, we supply home-owners, architects, tradespeople, construction firms and more throughout the UK.
Feel free to browse all our products on our website and contact us for any queries and a free no obligation quote for your project!
Patchett Joinery Ltd.
Ryefield House, 180 Highgate Road,
Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD13 1DS
T: 01274 882 331
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Works Cited: Wychavon District Council, The History of Windows and Glass