Daylight Robbery – London’s Blocked-Up Windows

What began as a fascination for the visuals of London’s bricked-up windows has become an examination of the role light and air play in our well-being. The exhibition Daylight Robbery features 80 photos of windows that have been blocked in the city.

The Great Fire of London was an important change in the design of windows. This led to a change in architecture and the creation of sash windows.

What is a window?

A window is an opening constructed in a wall, door or roof to let in light and air. It is typically covered and spanned by panes of glass, which are mounted to allow opening and closing. A window could be referred to as a window aperture, window light or window pane.

Sash windows are the most popular kind of window in London. They are vertically opening windows which open via an opening mechanism that slides. They are still used in older homes but are less frequent in modern constructions. Modern double glazed sash Windows are made of uPVC. They can be opened the same as traditional sash Windows, but they offer greater insulation.

Sash windows are distinct and were first created as a result of the narrow streets of London and the fact that buildings were huddled together. They are distinguished by two sashes that move up and down within the frame and then overlap when they are open. The sash’s movement is aided by a system pulleys, weights, and counter balances which can be concealed within the frame.

Sash windows can be opened either by sliding them open or by cranking them as a door. They can be single hanging, double-hung or casement. A casement opens outwards and can have sashes that are fixed in place or tilted to help with cleaning. Some casement windows are hinged and can swing in or out like an awning, or be opened using a crank.

A sash window can be an elegant design element in any house and it’s not difficult to see why they were so popular for so long. They have flaws, and one of them is that they can be difficult to secure in light of modern security concerns. This is the reason why we suggest that you think about replacing your old sash windows with the latest tilt and turn models that are more effective in keeping intruders out.

The Great Fire of London

The Great Fire of London was an enormous conflagration which swept through London’s city centre on the 2nd of September 1666. The fire was put out on Thursday, 6th September, only four-fifths the city was left standing. It destroyed 13,000 homes, 89 churches and 52 Guild Halls. Thousands of people were left homeless. The fire was believed to be the result of a Pudding Lane bakery. The fire spread quickly due to the presence of combustible material in warehouses as well as an intense easterly breeze. About 16 people are believed to have been killed.

After the fire that followed, King Charles II set about re-building the city. Sir Christopher Wren designed a new St Paul’s Cathedral and laid the foundations for numerous churches across the city. He also paved roads that were wider and made sure that the buildings were constructed of bricks instead of timber. The city became much less overcrowded as a result of the fire.

Sash windows are an iconic part of London’s architecture and have been in use for many centuries. They are renowned due to their mix of traditional style and modern technology. However, it took them a while to get to where they are today.

The first sash windows were invented in the 17th century and featured a vertical sliding bar and a fixed sash. The window could open out onto the room but not to the sky. Over the years the design of the sash changed and it was transformed into a box-shaped window. The sash is an extremely popular window and is used in many different styles of houses and apartments.

Jen Pedler chose a trompe l’oeil window in Smithfield depicts the return of a sailor back to his family. “I love it because the scene could occur.” It’s an extremely atmospheric location and it’s easy to imagine what could be happening in the room behind it,” she said.

Andy Summers is an artist who has taken photographs of over 80 bricked-up windows throughout the City of London for his ongoing project Daylight Robbery. He says that he was initially interested in the aesthetics of these windows but he has realized that they have an important historical significance.

Sash windows

As a city with a past as long and rich as London’s, the capital is home to some stunning historic buildings. And sash windows are a feature that’s often associated with these historic properties. They can be located in the London streets from aristocratic terraces all the way to humble townhouses.

Despite their popularity in the past, traditional sash windows styles don’t always look good in modern times. They have a reputation for letting in drafts, being difficult to open and close, and often getting blocked. A new double-glazed sash from Lomax + Wood is a breath of air. It offers a high-quality timber product that’s easy-to-operate and offers great energy-efficiency.

The sash window was invented by English craftsmen, but it isn’t known for certain. After the Great Fire of London, they were also credited with changing building regulations to replace larger windows with narrower frames which were less likely to catch fire. door fitters london that were recessed provided Georgian and Victorian buildings distinctive facades.

The sash consists of small panes that are held in muntins or glazing bars. In the past, windows were constructed of several panes, since glass was costly. If one of them broke replacing it would be costly. Today, the cost of glass has dropped dramatically so the windows are usually made up of one pane with astragal bars applied to give the appearance of smaller panes.

Sash windows can be opened through sliding or using the box sash. Double-hung sashes are able to be opened from both sides. The two sashes inside the frame are secured by a cord. Weights are hidden in the box frame to help balance the weights.

Many sash windows are more than 100 years old and may be exhibiting issues like rattles and drafts. They can be replaced however, by installing double-glazed windows that are FENSA registered, and meet strict building regulations in terms of thermal performance as well as security and acoustic isolation.

Windows that have been smashed

You may have noticed a strange sight as you walk around the streets of the old England windows are sometimes replaced with bricks. Although this may seem odd, there’s a good reason behind it, and it has to do with money. Back in 1696, there was a window tax imposed which charged homeowners more according to the number of windows their houses had. This tax, also referred to as ‘daylight theft’ was so hated by people that they went to great measures to avoid paying.

A few people choose to brick up their windows or build houses without windows at all. The window-blocking practice was a short-lived one and the ‘daylight-robbery tax was finally eliminated in 1851. It’s common to find bricked up windows on the side of older buildings. You can determine if they are windows by looking at the lintel or sill that matches the original glass.

Another way to know is to check for the stepped-back line within the brickwork which mimics the lines the glass would have taken up on either side. Check to see if all the bricks have the same color. If there is a gap where the window should be, it’s likely that the glass was not blocked.

The Daylight Robbery, an exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, is worth visiting for those who are interested in learning more about these windows. The exhibit explores the effects of light and air on our health and wellbeing.

The exhibition has its faults, most notably in claiming that’many’ of the homes included had their windows smashed off to avoid the Georgian-era window tax (and not just because of an overall dislike of the tax). It also fails to take into account the variety of the conditions that affect well-being especially health, after the introduction of the window tax and during the so-called ‘lockdown’ period.