10 London Window Meetups You Should Attend
Daylight Robbery - London's Blocked-Up Windows
What started as an interest in London's bricked up windows has turned into an examination of the role light and air play in wellbeing. The exhibition, Daylight Robbery, features 80 photos of blocked-up windows in the city.
The Great Fire of London marked an important turning point in the design of windows. This led to a shift in the design of windows and the development of sash windows.
What is a Window?
A window is a opening in a wall, door or roof to let in light and air. It is often covered with glass panes on the frame to allow opening and closing. A window can also be described as a window aperture or window light, or window pane.
Sash windows are the most common kind of window in London. They are vertically opening windows that open using a sliding mechanism. They are still a common feature in many older homes, but they are not as prevalent in newer builds. Modern double-glazed sash windows are constructed from uPVC. They can be opened in the same way as traditional sash Windows, but they offer more insulation.
Sash windows are distinctive. They were invented due to the narrow streets in London and the tight-packed buildings. They are distinguished by two sashes which slide up and down within the frame and overlap when open. The movement of the sash is assisted by a system of weights and pulleys (known as counter balances) which can be hidden or visible in the frame.
The sashes of a sash windows can be opened by sliding them open or cranked like a door. They can be double-hung, single-hung or casement. Casements open outwards, and has sashes that can be fixed in place or tilted to help with cleaning. Certain casement windows are hinged and can swing in or out like an awning or be opened with the crank.
Sash windows can be a beautiful design element in any house and it's easy to see why they were so popular for centuries. They have shortcomings, and one of them is that they can be difficult to secure in the light of the latest security concerns. We suggest replacing your old sash windows with the latest tilt-and-turn models that are more effective in keeping burglars away.
The Great Fire of London
The Great Fire of London was an enormous blaze that swept through London's city centre on the 2nd September 1666. The fire was extinguished on Thursday, 6th September, only four-fifths the city was left standing. It destroyed 13,000 homes, 89 churches and 52 Guild Halls. A large number of people were displaced. It was believed that the fire was started by the bakery in Pudding Lane. The fire spread quickly due to the presence of combustible material in warehouses and an extremely strong easterly breeze. About 16 people are believed to have been killed.
After the fire that followed, King Charles II began to rebuild the city. Sir Christopher Wren designed a new St Paul's Cathedral and laid the foundations for dozens of churches throughout the city. He also widened the streets and ensured that buildings were constructed of brick instead of timber. The city became less crowded because of the fire.
Sash windows have been part of London architecture for centuries. They are popular because they provide a winning combination of traditional looks and modern technology. It took some time to reach where they are now.
The first sash window was designed in the 17th century. It included a vertical sliding bar and an sash that was fixed. london sash window repair could be opened into the room, but not upwards towards the sky. As time passed the sash's shape was modified to look like the shape of a box window. The sash is still a well-known and widely used window in many different types of houses and apartments.
Jen Pedler selected a trompe-l'oeil in Smithfield that depicts a sailor returning to his family. "I am awestruck by it because it could occur." She added, "It's a very atmospheric space and it's simple to imagine what's going on in the room beyond it."
Andy Summers is an artist who has photographed over 80 bricked-up windows in the City of London for his ongoing project Daylight Robbery. He initially was intrigued by the aesthetics of these windows, but he later discovered that the windows have significant historical significance.
Sash windows
The capital with its rich and long history, is home to some stunning period structures. Sash windows are usually associated with historic properties. They are often found in the streets of London from aristocratic terraces to humble townhouses.
Despite their popularity in the past, the traditional sash window styles don't always look good in contemporary times. They are known for letting drafts in, being difficult to open or close and having their mechanisms jammed. A new double-glazed sash made by Lomax + Wood is a breath of fresh air. It's a premium timber product that's easy-to-operate and provides excellent energy efficiency.
It's not really known who came up with the idea for the sash window, although English craftsmen have the strongest claim to being responsible. Following the Great Fire of London, they are also credited with changing building regulations to replace larger windows with frames that were smaller, which were less likely to catch fire. These recessed frames gives Georgian and Victorian facades their distinctive style.
The sash itself is made up of small panes of glass held within glazing bars, or muntins. Originally, windows were made of several panes, since glass was costly. If one of them broke, replacing it would cost a lot. Today, the price of glass has dropped drastically, so windows are usually comprised of a single pane with astragal bars applied to give the appearance of smaller panes.
Sash windows can be opened through sliding or using the box sash. They can also be opened from both ends that is referred to as a double-hung sash. The two sashes in the frame are held in place by a cord. The weights are concealed in the box frame to help balance the weights.
Many sash windows are more than 100 years old and may be exhibiting issues such as rattles or drafts. However, we can replace them with modern, double-glazed sash windows that are FENSA registered and have met the strict building regulations regarding thermal performance, security and acoustic insulation.
Windows that have been smashed
While walking through the streets of old England you might have noticed that windows are often replaced by bricks. Although this may seem odd, there's a good reason behind it, and it's related to money. In 1696 there was a window tax that was imposed, which levy homeowners more depending on the number of windows their houses had. The tax was referred to as the 'daylight theft', this tax was so detested that people went to extraordinary measures to avoid it.
A few people choose to block their windows or build houses without windows. The window-blocking trend was only temporary because the 'daylight-robbery fee was finally eliminated in 1851. It's common to find windows that are bricked up on the side of older buildings. You can determine if they are windows by taking a look at the lintel or sill that matches the original glass.
Examine the stepped back line in the brickwork, which resembles the lines of the glass on either side. Also, check to check whether the bricks are the same colour and if there is a gap in the mortar where the window would have been, it's possible that the window was never actually blocked off.
For those interested in exploring the history of these windows, there is an exhibition at London's Victoria & Albert Museum called The Daylight Robbery which is worth a visit. The exhibit explores the effects of light and air on our health and well-being.
The exhibition has its faults. Most notably, it claims that "many" of the houses featured were bricked up to avoid paying the Georgian window tax of the Georgian era. (And not just out of a general disdain for the tax.) The exhibition doesn't consider the conditions that affect health, specifically health, since the introduction of window tax and the so-called "lockdown" period.