How The 10 Worst London Window Errors Of All Time Could Have Been Prevented

Daylight Robbery - London's Blocked-Up Windows

What started out as a fascination for the visuals of London's blasted-up windows has turned into an investigation into the role air and light contribute to our well-being. The exhibition, Daylight Robbery, features 80 photographs of windows that are blocked in the city.

The Great Fire of London was a significant moment in the history of window design. This led to a shift in architecture and the introduction of sash window.

What is a window?

A window is a opening in a wall, door or roof to allow light and air. It is usually covered with glass panes on the frame to allow opening and closing. A window can also be described as an aperture for windows or window light, or window pane.

Sash windows are the most well-known type of window in London. These are vertically-opening windows that are opened using a sliding mechanism. They are still a common feature in many older properties but they are not as prevalent in newer builds. Modern double-glazed sash windows are generally constructed from uPVC and can be opened in the same way as traditional sash windows, but with a lot more insulation.

Sash windows are distinctive. They were invented because of the narrow streets in London and the tightly packed buildings. They are distinguished by two sashes which move up and down within the frame, and they overlap when they are open. The sash's movement is assisted by a system of that includes pulleys, weights, as well as counter balances that can be concealed within the frame.

The sashes of a sash windows can be opened by sliding them open or cranking like doors. They can be double-hung, single-hung or casement. A casement window opens outwards and may have one or more sashes, which are fixed in place or tilt to help with cleaning. Certain casement windows hinge and can swing in and out like an awning or be opened by turning the crank.

Sash windows can be a beautiful design element in any house and it's not difficult to understand why they were so popular for centuries. They are not without their flaws, and one of them is that they are difficult to secure in the light of security concerns in the modern world. We suggest replacing your old sash window with the latest tilt-and-turn models that are more effective in keeping intruders from entering your home.

The Great Fire of London

The Great Fire of London was a massive conflagration that swept through the city's center on September 2nd, 1666. When the fire was completely slowed down on Thursday, the 6th, only four fifths of the city remained 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 an unnamed bakery located in Pudding Lane. The fire spread quickly due to the presence of combustible materials in warehouses and an extremely strong easterly breeze. It is estimated that around 16 people were killed.

After the fire, Charles II began rebuilding the city. Sir Christopher Wren designed a new St Paul's Cathedral and laid the foundations for numerous churches throughout the city. He also paved roads that were wider and ensured that buildings were constructed of brick instead of timber. This meant that the city was less overcrowded.

Sash windows have been part of London architecture for centuries. They are well-known because they offer a winning combination of traditional looks and modern technology. It took them a long time to reach the point they are at today.

The first sash windows were invented in the 17th century and included an incline bar that was vertical and an sash that was fixed. The window could expand to the outside of the room, but not into the sky. Over time, the sash design was modified to look more like an open-air box window. The sash remains a popular 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 home to his family. "I love it because it depicts the possibility of a scene to occur. She said, "It's a very atmospheric space and it's easy for me to imagine what's going on in the room that is beyond it."

Andy Summers, an artist, has photographed more than 80 bricked-up windows in the City of London as part of his ongoing project Daylight Robbery. He says initially, he was intrigued by the aesthetics of these windows but he has realized that they have a significant historical significance.

Sash windows

The capital, with its rich and long history, is home to some stunning period structures. Sash windows are typically associated with historic properties. They are often located in the streets of London, from aristocratic terraces to humble townhouses.

Despite their popularity in the past, traditional sash window styles don't always look good in the present day. They're known for letting in drafts, being difficult to open and close, and often getting stuck. A brand new double-glazed sash from Lomax + Wood is a breath of fresh air. It offers a high-quality timber product that's easy-to-operate and has a high energy efficiency.

It's not known who came up with the idea for the sash window However, English craftsmen hold the most claim to being responsible. Following the Great Fire of London, they are also credited for changing building regulations to substitute wider windows with frames that were narrower, which were less likely to catch fire. These recessed frames provided Georgian and Victorian buildings distinctive facades.

The sash consists of tiny panes that are held in muntins or glazing bars. Originally, windows were made of multiple panes because glass was expensive. If one of them broke replacing it would be expensive. The cost of glass has decreased dramatically, so windows are now made up of one pane that has an astragal bar applied to give them the appearance of smaller panels.

Sash windows are opened by sliding or using the box sash. Double-hung sashes can be opened from both the top and bottom. The two sashes are anchored in vertical grooves within the frame by a sash cable and counterbalanced by weights concealed inside the frame of the box.

Many sash windows are more than 100-years-old and may be experiencing issues such as rattles or drafts. You can replace them however, by installing double-glazed sash windows that are FENSA registered and that have strict building standards in terms of thermal performance, security, and acoustic isolation.

Windows that are clogged

While walking through the streets of old England, you may have observed that windows are occasionally replaced with bricks. Although this might seem odd, there's a solid reason for it and it's related to money. Back in 1696 there was a tax on windows imposed which charged homeowners more based on how many windows their houses had. This tax, also known as 'daylight theft', was so hated by people that they went to extraordinary measures to avoid paying.

One way was to build their homes with a small amount of windows, or without windows altogether, while others would block them up. Fortunately, this window-blocking trend was short-lived since the 'daylight theft' tax was finally pulled in 1851. However, it's not uncommon to see windows with bricks on the sides of older structures, and you can usually determine if they were originally windows by searching for a lintel and sill that match to the place where the glass would have been.

Examine the step back line in the brickwork that mimics the lines of the glass on either side. Also, check to see if the bricks are all the same colour and if there is a gap in the mortar where the window would have been, it's likely that the window was not actually blocked off.

If you are interested in learning more about the history of these windows, there is an exhibit at London's Victoria & Albert Museum called The Daylight Robbery which is worth a visit. The exhibit looks at the impact that light and air have on our health and examines ways we can improve our health.

The exhibition has its faults. Most notably, it states that "many" of the homes included were bricked to avoid the Georgian window tax of the time. (And not only because of a general disdain for the tax.)  london window repairs  fails to consider the conditions that impact health, particularly health, since the introduction of window tax and the so-called "lockdown" period.