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Sash windows are associated with the architecture of the 18th and 19th centuries. Their popularity stemmed from their larger panes of glass and more elegant proportions than casement windows.
Despite much debate, the sash window is now thought to have originated in Yorkshire, England. Sash windows were designed to allow a small gap for ventilation without letting in the rain, and were also less prone to rotting and distortion due to their enclosure within a box.
Sash windows were a huge improvement over their predecessors, both aesthetically and practically, and were incorporated into older homes as well as being favored for new buildings. During the mid 18th century the introduction of the window tax caused many windows to be removed. The Georgian sash window took on the modern double sash form. Glass remained expensive and was marked with large bull’s eye patterns in the center of each pane due to the way it was made. As techniques improved, larger panes became available and were used to create the characteristic Georgian windows, with narrow glazing bars and six panes in each sash..
The Victorians continued to favor sash windows, but added their own style with elaborate carved and molded ornamentation. Gradated windows, diminishing in size with the height of the building, and large bay windows are characteristic of this period. Sashes with four panes of glass are another mark of the Victorian window. The wealthy often chose to have older styles of window added to their property to distinguish themselves from the increasingly common use of plate glass sash windows with the slimmer glazing bars that were once prized.
Sash windows have become far less common during the last century, despite being the favorite style at the beginning of the 20th century, due to the increase in cheap, mass-produced styles of window. An interest in conserving historical styles of architecture has recently revived the demand for sash windows, however. Modern versions of the sash window preserve the traditional character of older properties, while combining all the latest developments in manufacturing processes with the grace and practicality that this style epitomizes.
