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20 February 2010Sash windows are an integral component of 18th and 19th century style. Their large panels of glass within gracefully proportioned frames offered an attractive and functional alternative to casement windows.
Their origin has almost certainly been traced back to Yorkshire in England. Sash windows were designed to allow a small gap for ventilation without letting in the rain, and were also less prone to rotting and distortion due to their enclosure within a box.
Sash windows offered both practical advantages and a more pleasing style than older window designs, and they were popular in both new buildings and as stylish replacements in existing homes. Many were later removed, however in order to avoid paying the window tax of the late 18th/early 19th centuries. The Georgian sash window took on the modern double sash form. Glass was still expensive and marked with central bull’s eyes by the manufacture process. As better methods of making large panes were found, windows with six panels in each sash appeared, becoming characteristic of the Georgian sash window. They became a key part of Regency architecture.
Sash windows continued to be popular during the reign of Queen Victoria, although carved and molded decorations were commonly added to them. Victorian houses often have large bay windows and elegantly proportioned facades with the windows getting gradually smaller as their height from the ground increases. Four paned sashes are more common in houses built at this time. While the absence of glazing bars was originally a status symbol, many people put in windows that imitated older styles once sheet glass had become cheaper and more commonly used during the late 19th century.
Sash windows have become far less common during the last century, despite being the favorite style at the beginning of the 20th century, due to the increase in cheap, mass-produced styles of window. Recently people have begun to take an interest in the historic character of their homes, resulting in greater demand for traditional style sash windows. Modern versions of the sash window preserve the traditional character of older properties, while combining all the latest developments in manufacturing processes with the grace and practicality that this style epitomizes.
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