Compared to other elements of house building, the conservatory is the new kid on the block. Dating back just a few hundred years, these elegant glass structures were once solely the privilege of the wealthy. Today however, conservatories are a staple of the modern British home. Providing valuable extra living space and versatile square footage, […]
Tags: history
The “window tax” was a property tax, originally introduced in 1696, during the reign of King William III. During the 18th and 19th centuries it was enforced in England, Ireland and Scotland, as well as in France. Profit and debt During the late 17th century, income tax was opposed by many since it would necessitate […]
Tags: history, tax
Glass has a very long history, dating back around 5000 years. The earliest glass artefacts were found in Egypt dating back to around 3100 BC. It wasn’t until the Middle Ages that glass became increasingly popular for glazing windows, up until then glass was seen as a precious material that was expensive and hard to […]
Tags: glass, history
The quick-fit, attainable conservatories that we know of today seem to have come a long way from the original awe inspiring opulent glasshouses of history. Leading up to the mid 19th century a ‘conservatory’ was simply an object of desire to the majority, as the introduction of the glass and window tax made even the […]
Tags: history
In the UK, and most of the developed world, we wouldn’t dream of closing our front doors without locking them, it’s just instinctive. But where did the idea come from and just what does the history of door locks teach us? The first locks Like many of today’s everyday mechanisms, there is a dispute about where […]
Tags: history, locks
In our last post we talked about the Doors of Dublin, the world’s largest door and oldest doors. In this post we shall take a look at some other interesting and otherwise unknown facts about doors. Revolving doors Rumour has it that the revolving door was invented in a protest against chivalry! In the late […]
Tags: history, locks
It’s taken quite a journey to get from Ancient Egyptian gargoyles to guttering, but the earliest forms of guttering can actually be dated to way before then. Archeological findings from the Indus Valley civilization (3000 BC – 1500 BC) show that a system built from bricks and burnt clay was used as a similar water […]
Tags: aluminium, gargoyles, history, PVC
In many parts of the world it’s not uncommon to see homes with no windows, but it’s rare to see a home with no front door. As the experts tell us, “the front door is one of the most important parts of your home.” They have played a dual role in keeping people out and […]
Tags: front doors, history