The Origins Of The Sash Window Are Uncertain

It is difficult to get clarity on the origins of the sash window although the first mention is found in the late 1700's

. A painting by Vermeer, 'The Milkmaid' has a woman standing in front of one. Around the same time the inventor Robert Hooke used the window in Ham House. However, the French word chassis refers to a frame and it is believed that via Holland the window came to Britain, and it is now inextricably linked to English culture.

The name 'Yorkshire light' refers to windows with glazed panels that opened vertically or horizontally. Opening was manual originally but a system was developed whereby the weight of the glass panes was balanced by a lead sash weight. This was connected to the window by a sash cord running inside the frame over a pulley placed at the top.

Sir Christopher Wrens was a well known architect used by the British royal family in the late 1600's to design various palaces, such as the Whitehall Palace where he used these windows. The Royals used these windows at Kensington Palace and Hampton Court as well. The combination of Wrens' fame and Royal approval meant that the windows became wildly popular and were soon appearing on all new buildings. Aesthetically, they do not ruin a building's look when they are opened unlike many other window sorts.

The double hung sash window which can be opened at the top and bottom were a feature designed during the Georgian era. European weather can range from very wet and cold to very hot during summers. An opening at the top lets hot air escape, while opening the bottom draws in cool air and prevents rain from getting in.

During Victorian times, the windows like everything else were an additional site for the excessive decorations that were favoured by the elite of the day. Leaded lights, latticework, intricate carvings and mouldings were added to their buildings. Windows were grouped in a bay framed with pillars carved in stone. The windows at the bottom of the building were intentionally made longer than those of the upper stories to enhance the effect of perspective.

As with many beautiful objects the advent of mass production methods and industrialization after the First World War, signified the end for this product. The labour involved in hand producing a sash was too expensive and casement windows were easier to produce in factories.

Many older European buildings and cities would be characterless without these beautiful windows, which remain popular even though they cause problems.

by: Charlotte Buckley.

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