Sliding windows have existed throughout Europe for Many years, dating back to the thirteenth century as very simple timber sliding shutters.
It was not until around the sixteenth century that glazed sash windows came on to the scene, sliding side ways unlike today’s vertical sliding sash windows, that only actually started to appear mid seventeenth century in France.
When the nobility came to England (in asylum from the guillotine!) they brought with them new ideas and designs of the more sophisticated vertical sliding sash windows across the Channel.
Somerset house in London was renovated with the input of the Queen Mother who had just arrived back from France with a very skilled French Sash Window joiner. He created and fitted the first recorded sash window in Britain.
The development of the sliding sash window is not very clear and numerous theories circulate. It is commonly believed that a weighted and balanced version was actually invented in England.
A vertical sash window with glass and heavy thick glazing bars also known as Georgian bars to accommodate the very thin and delicate glass of the time, would have been a heavy beast of a window for the operator.
The counter balance was developed for use in doors originally but it did not take long for someone to apply the system to windows.
Throughout history the sash window has never been patented, nor has anyone ever claimed to be its inventor.
The number of panes slowly reduced as glass manufacture began to produce higher quality stronger glazing, but it wasn’t until the Government of the day stopped demanding window Tax duty in 1845, when the price of the glass dropped, that the panes became larger, with only two panes per sash.
During the period of British history when glass taxation existed, it was a great sign of extreme wealth and prestige to have large glazed windows in ones home.
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