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Sash windows are an integral component of 18th and 19th century style. They make practical and aesthetically pleasing alternatives to casements, with their large glass panels and graceful proportions.
After years of controversy, experts now believe they were originally invented in Yorkshire. They offered greater resistance to rot and distortion, while being able to keep out the weather and still allow fresh air in since they can be opened only slightly when it is raining.
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. The window tax of the 18th and 19th centuries caused many of these fashionable windows to be taken out again, however. The window with two movable sashes was developed during the Georgian era. Glass remained expensive and was marked with large bull’s eye patterns in the center of each pane due to the way it was made. As techniques improved, larger panes became available and were used to create the characteristic Georgian windows, with narrow glazing bars and six panes in each sash. They became a key part of Regency architecture.
The Victorians continued to favor sash windows, but added their own style with elaborate carved and molded ornamentation. Victorian houses often have large bay windows and elegantly proportioned facades with the windows getting gradually smaller as their height from the ground increases. Sashes with four panes of glass are another mark of the Victorian window. The wealthy often chose to have older styles of window added to their property to distinguish themselves from the increasingly common use of plate glass sash windows with the slimmer glazing bars that were once prized.
During the 20th century, sash windows have tended to disappear from our streets, being replaced by cheaper, mass-produced windows. An interest in conserving historical styles of architecture has recently revived the demand for sash windows, however. Sash windows today use all the latest technology, but retain the elegance and functionality of traditional sashes, and preserve the historic style of the older houses.
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