To find out about the historical development of the sash window we have to look back into the far reaches of history, to a period that dates to the early seventeenth century. The first recorded image of a sash window is clearly depicted in the 1658 depiction of The Milkmaid, a beautiful piece of art created by Vermeer, the Dutch artist.
The design of the sash window is attributed to Robert Hooke, a British architect, but there are those who dispute this claim. Some argue that sash windows were first designed in France and that over time their popularity spread to Holland before the concept arrived in England where it was so wholeheartedly embraced by the British people that it is now identified as purely British.
They were first called Yorkshire Light windows and consisted of two separate panels of glass containing double rows of glass panes that were placed inside the window frame. Inside the frame a series of sash weights, ropes and pulleys were responsible for raising and lowering the panes as the modified design became heavier and more unwieldy.
It is believed that the popularity of these windows throughout Britain at the time can be attributed to their extensive use by an architect who gained favour with the royal family. Sir Christopher Wrens was asked to design the Whitehall Palace, Kensington Palace and Hampton Court, all three of which make extensive use of these types of windows.
Naturally this trend was taken up by wealthy home owners who wanted to follow the popular fashions that were endorsed by the royal family at that time. Double hung sash windows developed during the Georgian era, allowing for these windows to be opened from both the top and the bottom. This was a remarkably clever design.
This was due to the fact that both panes could be adjusted, allowing a flow of cool air in through the bottom and heated air out through the top. This was a blessing during the hot summer months and allowed for fresh air to enter a room during the winter without rain coming in through the open window due to its innovative design. They lost popularity during the First World War.
Hand crafted using time consuming and labour intensive methods along with costly materials meant that the design was not conducive to the industrialization process. Industry was focused on creating advanced weaponry and machinery and the sash window had no room in this sort of an environment.
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