Historical Development Of Sash Windows

Posted by Business
By Bradley James


Georgian or Victorian style homes are not complete without sash windows. Historians cannot agree on an exact date, but most of them think they were first used in the middle of the 17th century. Robert Hooke, an English scientist and inventor, has received credit for their design, although some people claim they originated in Holland.

At that time in history, only homes belonging to the wealthy could afford glass to cover openings, but they were very heavy and difficult to operate. The builder ingenuously turned the casement design ninety degrees and set it inside a frame. Regardless of their origin, the sash design, replaced the cumbersome side-hung style.

The usual size of a sash is four feet wide; however, there were custom designed units that were made. The movable panels that frame individual panes of glass can be opened up and down or sideways. The standard size was used in most late Victorian and Edwardian houses.

The earliest examples of the sash style are at an English estate property, Chatsworth. It dates back to sometime between 1676 and 1680. Additionally, the Banquet building at Whitehall has them dating back to 1685. Those are built in to the structures, although later the invention of movable frames made installation a separate process.

Standard architectural designs during the Victorian era always included this style in homes and buildings. It was also during this time that the sash got more decorative with multiple panes with leaded lights. In 1894 the Building Act in England changed regulations which allowed them to stand away from the structure.

Georgian sashes were usually two movable units, each of them divided into six panes with narrow glazing bars. They are still operational in buildings from these eras. Even in a climate with high humidity and damp weather, they seemed to resist rotting better than other types.

One of the reasons they lasted a long time, even in the humidity and dampness, is because they were set in a frame. Besides being protected from the elements, this also allowed them to be opened as little or as much as wanted. Even when it was raining heavily outside, air could flow throughout the room because they could be opened slightly.

The style designed to stand away from the building is known as a bay window. These originated during the Edwardian era. Some homes had double bays or a bowed style, but those were mostly in medium and larger sized homes. White paint, Queen Anne style, was most popular.

Many romantic scenes from popular novels and films would not be the same without the sash windows. The 17th century Dutch painter, Johannes Vermeer, included one in his painting of a milkmaid in the early morning light. The estimated date of this is 1658.




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