If You Want to Know How Old a Building Is

March 18, 2022 Post a Comment

How onetime is your house? Many period homeowners are interested in learning the history of their edifice, but it tin can seem a daunting task when you aren't sure where to start. Finding out won't but satisfy a curiosity, merely besides help you selection the correct features and finishes for your domicile.

The UK possesses thousands of old buildings whose origins stretch back centuries. Dwellings brand up by far the largest proportion of listed and historic backdrop and while houses older than the 15th century are relatively rare, those from the late 16th century onwards survive in meaning numbers.

The more you know and understand your ain home, the more you will appreciate its value, admire its quirks and brand appropriate changes that respect its history when renovating.

At that place are many professional architectural historians you lot tin commission to undertake the research for you; all the same, tracing the history of a building yourself can exist very rewarding.

Row of Victorian terraces — *Terraced homes built after 1840 are unlikely to be listed, just they might be in a* *Conservation Area*

Reasons to know what period your firm is

When you purchase a home the mortgage lender will want to know how old the house is. This is partly then that they can understand the take a chance of damage caused past the holding's age, and likewise to help them understand the value. Period properties are highly sought later so where catamenia features have been maintained, yous can expect this to be reflected in the asking cost.

Still, period features must always exist appropriate to the home. Knowing what windows, doors and other architectural features are authentic is therefore very of import.

Cheque to come across if it's listed

If you live in a listed building yous will likely already take gleaned some bones information from the list description which gives the best estimate of the date of your firm too equally indicating why it is listed.

However, list descriptions can exist very brief and information technology is worth remembering that most listed buildings were not surveyed extensively externally, or usually at all inside, at the time of list.

Care for the description equally a starting point and non as physical evidence. Often it isn't an adequate basis for undertaking informed work so doing your ain investigation is a good idea.

16th-century cob longhouse with a thatched roof in Devon — *This* *16th-century cob longhouse* *has a charming thatched roof and is Grade II listed*

How to appointment your habitation

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The procedure of dating a historic edifice is usually accomplished through interacting both with the building itself and too with archival documents and published studies of buildings.

Broadly this can be carve up into iii methods of dating: style, records and physical testify.

Agreement the development of building design and manner is a expert identify to begin your research. There are many books and guides on the history of buildings. The style of a building and its details provides important clues nigh its age, utilise and development over time.

Ask yourself if this a practical or vernacular building that has been built informally (without an architect), or is this a building that has a clear blueprint intention or artful?

Style should not be the merely factor in determining a building'southward age. We usually have a good idea of when a certain fashion was introduced but it's harder to determine when they fell out of favour.

As well, almost historic buildings evolve over time as the owner'due south needs and expectations change. New features such as fireplaces, doors or even whole facades may accept been added to an older house. This as well follows for date stones, which may have been added subsequently to a building after a new phase of alterations.

Original Victorian fieplace — *Pay close attention to features such as fireplaces, as they may be afterwards additions. This Victorian fireplace is original to the house*

Researching local records

When trying to establish a date for a holding from primary sources it is often easiest to work backwards. Comparing historic Bone maps can be a skillful way to constitute when a edifice was erected on your country just it doesn't mean that the edifice there today is the aforementioned edifice.

At a national level Historic England Archive, containing millions of photos and thousands of measured surveys, is a proficient place to find details on your home if it is included.

However, in many cases it is the local library and archives which may produce better primary resources. Boondocks, parish or state histories are a good way to understand the development of your surface area. Some areas of the country have had land registration since the 18th century.

Having undertaken a survey of the primary sources and some literature on the history of edifice evolution, you can then explore the fashion and concrete testify of your abode.

Tudor house with jettied first floor — *Jetties were used on many medieval and Tudor houses. They used the timbers of the upper floors to create space by projecting across the building line below*

Pre-Georgian houses

Encompassing medieval, Tudor and Stuart compages, a pre-Georgian firm is a precious and wonderful matter.

Pinning downward an verbal date for a pre-Georgian building can be very difficult. With this particular fourth dimension period in compages the subtleties make all the difference.

Construction techniques and early blueprint aesthetics frequently took time to accomplish areas of the country as the styles usually originated from London and migrated out. Regional differences in materials and structure also come up into play.

Dating is best done by looking at the plan-form of your building and understanding the materials used in its construction.

Before the 16th century, life in most houses revolved effectually the hall – not an entrance passage as information technology is now simply a main room open to the rafters. A fire would burn down in the heart of the hall's floor with smoke drifting out through an opening in the roof.

Open up halls began to be phased out by the afterwards 16th century, with upper floors and chimneys introduced, but houses with medieval origins oft retain tell-tale fume blackening to the roof timbers.

In the medieval period, just the all-time buildings were made of rock and most domestic buildings were timber framed or had earth walls. Masonry structures became more than mutual from the later 16th century. Brick started to be used for chimney stacks and the infill to timber frames.

Cheers to advances in the transportation of buildings materials, by the later 17th century, buildings entirely of brick started to be built.

Read our guide to medieval and Tudor homes

Living room of Elizabethan townhouse — *The original fireplace was discovered behind a 1930s design in this Elizabethan townhouse in Wiltshire*

Georgian design

The Georgian period of architecture spanned from 1714 to 1830 with the afterward Georgian menstruation starting in 1830 and catastrophe in 1837.

Houses built in this menses are recognisable from the exterior by their generous, symmetrical proportions, with flat or shallow roofs subconscious behind a parapet. They may exist built in rock or brick and earlier buildings may have a stucco-rendered ground floor with later on Regency variations being rendered entirely in stucco.

During this fourth dimension, sash windows became the norm and mullion windows ceased to exist fashionable. The archetype organization has iii panes across by two up on each of two sashes, giving a 'six over six' panel window, although this is by no means a fixed dominion.

Over fourth dimension, glazing bars also became thinner, as glass became lighter – the effectively the glazing bar the later the house, commonly.

Georgian period home — *Georgian homes* *were designed with elegant classical proportions, and their facades were frequently symmetrical*

From a structural perspective much inspiration stemmed from the classical Palladian style in this period, which can be seen in the employ of the classical orders and proportions in Georgian buildings. Inside the edifice, this is the period in which decorative plasterwork reached the height of intricacy and elegance, with fine cornices and ceilings.

At this betoken it is worth noting that equally the style of older timber framed buildings became unfashionable there are examples of older buildings refaced in a Georgian façade. It is possible to accept a pre-Georgian edifice with a Georgian primary elevation.

Sash windows — *In Georgian homes, beautifully proportioned half-dozen-over-vi sash windows were oftentimes present*

Victorian homes

From humble cottages to resplendent mansions, more than four million Victorian backdrop survive today – an incredible one in half-dozen of all UK houses. Most were terraced. These were economically efficient to build and were a strong structure, with each firm supported by its neighbour.

While Victorian houses practice often follow some of the classical features adopted by the Georgians, Victorian manner was too influenced by the renaissance and Gothic Revival movements.

The Victorian era and associated industrial revolution introduced many changes to society and the fashion homes were constructed. Equally a result differences tin can exist seen between early on, mid and late Victorian homes.

Classic mid-Victorian terraced house — *There are over 4million Victorian homes in the UK – the almost prevalent being terraced*

One of the great delights of Victorian houses is that fifty-fifty ordinary terraces were congenital every bit cheaper replicas of grander buildings and design was very much concerned with reflecting status.

To print guests entrance halls would avowal ornate ceiling plasterwork and patterned tiled flooring. The most prestigious room was the front drawing room where a bay window and ornate fireplace would signify status.

Victorian houses were remarkably consistent in their internal layouts, being relatively narrow in width, with a adequately standard 'iii-room deep' program accessed via a deep corridor. Wider, double-fronted houses were the exception.

Upstairs, the layout of the bedrooms echoed the blueprint of the ground floor, but because kitchen floors and ceiling heights were lower to the rear of the property, the layout also had to be 'split-level' upstairs, with steps down into the back rooms.

The social pretence of announcing visitors in a resplendent hallway was, by necessity, dispensed with in many smaller dwellings. Here, the main door from the street would open straight into the forepart parlour or, in semi-discrete houses and end terraces, into a small lobby at the human foot of the stairs from a side archway door.

To save space, in cramped workers' cottages the kitchen sometimes occupied the back parlour, with a pocket-size bordering scullery and outside privy. In the majority of such homes, the stairs formed a division between the front and back rooms.

Victorian hallway with encaustic tiled floor and stained glass front door — *Victorian homes were often built to heighten status, with ornate mouldings, encaustic tiled floor and stained glass on the front door*

From the exterior, a Victorian property can be recognised by the inclusion of bay sash windows, terra cotta tiles, decorative stonework and polychrome brickwork. The introduction of cheaper and stronger plate glass from the 1830s reduced the need for glazing confined and then the sash window evolved to become one large sail of glass in each sash.

However, the increased weight of the glass and the absence of any internal supports necessitated the introduction of 'sash horns' on the upper frame. These are extensions of the window stiles that helped to strengthen the vulnerable frame joints at either end of the meeting track.

A lot of sash windows in Georgian buildings were adapted to single pane sashes or replaced in favour of this style birthday and then you may have a Georgian property with Victorian sashes.

Use our guides on renovating a Victorian firm and extending a Victorian house to observe out how to make sympathetic alterations.

early Victorian terraces with yellow and blue doors and sash windows — *Early Victorian terraces had their front doors set broad autonomously. Subsequently, front doors were arranged in pairs, with hallways leading to adjoining rear additions*

Early Victorian features

Georgian influence is still evident in elegant terraces with slate-clad shallow roofs subconscious from the street backside low parapet walls, and smooth, well-proportioned façades with symmetrically bundled windows and doors.
Main walls were usually rendered with stucco, but with classical 'Italian villa' features, such as string courses, arches, and cornerstones. Some more expensive houses have façades made from smooth ashlar stonework.
Sash windows still have multiple panes.
The standard plan comprises two rooms over three floors, with single-storey rear additions.
Many larger townhouses still had basement kitchens, with imposing front end steps leading up to the main entrance.

Mid Victorian house with two-storey bay window — *2-storey bay windows were popular in the mid-Victorian era. I-over-one or two-over-two sash windows were common*

Mid Victorian style

Classical Italianate styles compete with increasing Gothic influences.
Traditional slate roofs are topped with decorative terracotta ridge tiles, and pointy finials supersede Georgian subconscious parapet roofs.
Exposed brick or stone walls eclipse white fully stuccoed frontages, and façades feature contrasting colours of brickwork, with string grade bands and arches of mainly scarlet or yellowish brick.
Large polygonal 'splayed' bay windows appear, initially single storey, with two storey common from the 1870s. Sash windows now only have one or two larger panes, while window and door surrounds become more ornamental, and manufactured stone lintels and sills beginning to replace brick arches and sills.
Townhouses with semi-basements were still common by 1870, with imposing flights of steps up to the front door, only full basements had largely disappeared, superseded by deeper layouts, with long corridor layouts.
Rear additions sprout another floor or 2, occupied past bedrooms.
Outdoor WCs or privies were a feature in nearly mainstream housing, with internal bathrooms in some more than expensive properties.

terracotta ridge tiles on a Victorian roof — *Decorative terracotta components were widely used, such as triple high-curvation ridge tiles with a projecting finial or 'cresting'*

Italianate or gothic?

By the mid-Victorian flow at that place were two powerful architectural forces at work. Y'all were either a 'Goth' or an Italianate neoclassicist. In contrast to the Georgian emphasis on symmetry and the unity of whole terraces, the Victorians were more concerned with promoting individuality, breaking up terraced frontages with prominent trophy and porches.

The neoclassical style was strongly influenced by medieval Italian architecture, while Gothic inspiration was derived from medieval cathedrals. Inevitably, speculative builders pinched ideas from both camps, and by the 1850s elements of Italianate and Gothic had crept into many streets.

exterior front view of 18 Stafford Terrace in London — *18 Stafford Terrace in London, the former home of the 18th-century Punch cartoonist Edward Linley Sambourne, is a perfectly preserved example of a classical Italianate style*

Italianate features:

Loosely based on the blueprint of Roman villas, these included shallow hipped roofs and big overhanging eaves supported on brackets.
Rounded brick arches were set in a higher place paired windows, with carved Roman columns to bays.
Showy contrasting coloured brickwork included ruddy and yellow bands, and corners highlighted with white stuccoed quoins.
Grander houses might boast a tower or 'campanile', emulating the taste of the Regal family.

Gothic features:

Inspired by the architecture of medieval cathedrals, examples were pointed arches over windows and doors, pointed gable walls with massive carved or moulded bargeboards, and church building-like stained glass.
Steep slate roofs may have sprouted church belfry towers, maybe sporting a discreet gargoyle, while bays and front porches saw Gothic columns with carved foliage.
Brickwork was often in contrasting colours.

Belatedly Victorian style

From the 1890s, Queen Anne revival was a major influence on mass suburban house design, featuring red brick with white stone dressings, or white painted joinery.
Subsequently Craft styles saw tile-hanging, white painted roughcast and pebbledash, and big overhanging gables over stout square bay windows.
Elaborate timber porches featured coloured glass in front doors and blackness half-timbered 'mock-Tudor' gables.
Upper sashes were now divided into multiple panes, just wider casements were becoming popular, some of bandage iron with leaded lights. Minor coloured blue or red panes were popular in fanlights and windows bordering doors.
Roofs were built to a steeper pitch. The demise of slate came towards the finish of the century as affordable manufactured clay tiles get fashionable.
Most houses now featured internal WCs and bathrooms, except in the poorest housing.

This late victorian home exhibits many of the popular features of homes built at the turn of the century including mock Tudor elements and roughcast — *This abode* *exhibits many of the popular features of houses congenital at the plough of the century including mock Tudor elements and roughcast*

Edwardian houses

The Edwardian period was relatively curt (1901-1910) and was heavily influenced by the Arts and Crafts motility. The movement promoted simple design and an appreciation of handmade fixtures and furniture as a reaction against the mass-production and industrialisation of the Victorian era.

Due to the chop-chop increasing population and completion of new railways lines Edwardian houses tend to be found in the suburbs; they are often situated on larger plots of land and set dorsum from the street.

They mostly sit down less deep in their plots than Victorian houses and are defined past gable roofs, deep bay windows, and sash windows with smaller decorative panes.

An enthusiasm for 'sometime England' was expressed in idiosyncratic revivals of timber-framed and mock Tudor homes. Internally information technology is common to observe broad hallways and dual-aspect rooms.

Edwardian layouts become wider, with squarer hallways. Kitchens were now tucked into the main house or in shallower rear additions, and separate sculleries were phased out.