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.
One of the first glazed sliding sash windows was created and fitted for Henrietta Maria, the Queen Mother, who returning from France with French joiners, encouraged the renovation of Somerset House in London.
The exact history of how the weighted and balanced glazed sash window came about is not clear, although some say that the invention was a British one, many could say it was a french one.
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.
Doors of past had been counter balanced in a similar way of today's sash windows, exactly who and when the system was applied to the sash window is unknown.
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 a period of British history the Crown cleverly started to tax citizens based on how many glass windows they had in their home and thus it was considered a sign of wealth to have one large pane of glass per window. - 30244
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.
One of the first glazed sliding sash windows was created and fitted for Henrietta Maria, the Queen Mother, who returning from France with French joiners, encouraged the renovation of Somerset House in London.
The exact history of how the weighted and balanced glazed sash window came about is not clear, although some say that the invention was a British one, many could say it was a french one.
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.
Doors of past had been counter balanced in a similar way of today's sash windows, exactly who and when the system was applied to the sash window is unknown.
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 a period of British history the Crown cleverly started to tax citizens based on how many glass windows they had in their home and thus it was considered a sign of wealth to have one large pane of glass per window. - 30244
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Want to find out more about sash windows in London , then visit Robert Wood's site on sash window restoration in the UK at www.sashwindowrepairs-london.co.uk.
