Notes

The Complete Guide To London Window
Daylight Robbery - London's Blocked-Up Windows

What started as a fascination for the visuals of the city's bricked-up windows has evolved into an investigation into the role that light and air play in our wellbeing. The exhibition Daylight Robbery features 80 photos of windows that have been blocked in the city.

window seal repair near me of London marked a turning point in the design of windows. This led to a change in the architecture and also the creation of sash windows.

What is a window?

A window is a small opening that is constructed in the wall, door or roof for the purpose of letting light and air in. It is usually framed and spanned with panes of glass mounted to permit opening and closing. A window may also be described as a window aperture or window light, or window pane.

There are many different types of windows but the ones most associated with London are sash windows. These are windows that open vertically that open using the help of a sliding mechanism. These windows are still found in older houses however they are not as common in more modern structures. Modern double glazed sash Windows are constructed from uPVC. They can be opened the same as traditional sash windows, but they have greater insulation.

Sash windows are distinctive and were first developed as a result the narrow streets of London and the fact that buildings were crowded together. They are distinguished by two sashes which slide up and down within the frame, and they overlap when opened. The movement of sash is aided by a system pulleys, weights, and counter balances which can be hidden within the frame.

Sash windows can be opened by sliding them open or by cranking them as a door. They can be single hang, double or casement. A casement opens outwards and can have sashes that are fixed in place or tilted to help with cleaning. Certain casement windows are hinged and swing in or out like an awning. They can also be opened using the crank.

It is easy to see why sash windows have become so popular over the centuries. However, they do have their disadvantages and one of the biggest issues is that it could be difficult to keep them secure in the face of modern security concerns. This is why we recommend that you think about replacing your windows that were sash-based with the most current tilt and turn models which are more effective in keeping thieves out.

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 finally extinguished, on Thursday the 6th, just four-fifths of the city remained standing. It burned 13,000 houses, 89 churches and 52 Guild Halls which left thousands of people homeless. The fire was believed to have been started by the Pudding Lane bakery. The blaze spread quickly thanks to warehouses containing combustible materials and a strong easterly wind. It is estimated that approximately 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 dozens of churches across the city. He also built wider roads and made sure that the buildings were built of brick instead of timber. The city became much less overcrowded as a result of the fire.

Sash windows have been part of London architecture for centuries. They are well-known due to their mix of traditional style and modern technology. It took a while for them to reach where they are today.

The first sash windows were invented in the 17th century and included the vertical sliding bar as well as a fixed sash. This allowed the window to expand out into the room, but not to the sky. Over time, the sash design was modified to look like the shape of a box window. The sash is an extremely popular window and is utilized in a variety of styles of apartments and houses.

Jen Pedler chose a trompe of l'oeil window from Smithfield, which depicts the return of a sailor back to his family. "I enjoy it because it portrays the possibility of a scene to take place. It's an extremely atmospheric location and it's easy to imagine what might be happening in the room behind it," she said.

Andy Summers is an artist who has captured more than 80 bricked-up windows within 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 lengthy history is home to a number of gorgeous period buildings. Sash windows are usually associated with historic properties. They are often located in the London streets from aristocratic terraces to humble townhouses.

Despite their popularity the traditional sash windows do not always look the best in the present day. They are known for letting drafts in and being difficult to shut or open and having their mechanisms clogged. replacement double glazing near me -glazed sash made by Lomax + Wood is a breath of fresh air. It's a top-quality timber product that is easy-to-use and offers great energy-efficiency.

The sash window was created by English craftsmen, however it isn't known for certain. Following the Great Fire of London, they were also credited with changing building regulations to replace wider windows with narrower frames which were less likely to catch fire. These frames that were recessed created Georgian and Victorian buildings distinctive facades.

The sash consists of tiny panes that are which are held in muntins, or glazing bars. In the past, windows were constructed of multiple panes, as glass was costly. If one was damaged replacing it would be expensive. Today, the cost of glass has dropped drastically, so windows are generally composed of one pane that has astragal bars attached to create the appearance of smaller panes.

Sash windows can be opened either by sliding them or using a box sash mechanism. They can also be opened from both the top and bottom, which is known as a double-hung sash. The two sashes are held in vertical grooves inside the frame by a sash cord, and balanced by weights that are hidden within the box frame.

Many sash windows are over 100 years old and may be exhibiting issues such as rattles or draughts. You can replace them however, using double-glazed sash windows that are FENSA registered and comply with strict building regulations regarding thermal performance, security, and acoustic isolation.

Windows with bricks

While walking through the streets of the old England, you may have noticed that windows are often replaced with bricks. Although this might seem odd, there's a solid reason for it and it has to do with money. In 1696, a tax on windows was applied to homeowners according to the number of windows that were in their homes. This tax, also known as 'daylight theft' was so detested by people that they went to great measures to avoid paying.

A few people choose to brick up their windows or construct homes with no windows at all. Fortunately replacement double glazing near me -blocking trend faded away since the 'daylight theft' tax was finally pulled in 1851. However, it's still common to see windows with bricks on the sides of older structures, and you can usually tell whether or not they were originally windows by looking for a lintel and sill that match to where the glass would have been.

Check for window seal repair near me in the brickwork that resembles the lines of the glass on either side. Also, take a look to determine whether the bricks are the same colour, and if there's a gap within the mortar where the window would have been, it's likely that the window was not actually blocked off.


For those interested in exploring the background of these windows, there is an exhibition at London's Victoria & Albert Museum called The Daylight Robbery which is worth checking out. The exhibit looks at the impact light and air have on our health and examines ways in which we can improve our health.

The exhibition has its faults. Most notably, it claims that "many" of the properties that were featured were erected to avoid the Georgian window tax of the time. (And not just out of a general dislike for the tax.) The exhibition doesn't consider the factors that affect wellbeing, especially health, after the introduction of window tax and the so-called "lockdown" period.

Website: https://www.longisland.com/profile/genderwall9