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.

 

French nobility escaping the guillotine in France arrived in England bringing with them the latest technology and designs of more advanced sash windows.

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 precise history and development of sash windows is a bit vague although the most likely story of the balanced, weighted sash window was a British invention.

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.

 

As glass manufacturing advanced sash windows started to have less glazing bars but it was not until the King of England ended taxation based on how much glass you had in your windows that the glass in sash windows became larger.

 

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.

 

The exact full history of the sash window is not very clear but the above is our opinion based lightly on various theories and facts that have been recorded over the years.

 

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