The Victorian period was the time when Queen Victoria ruled Britain, 193 years ago. It was the start of brand new manufacturing processes, meaning building materials suddenly became available all over the country. House that were made of materials such as stone, timber, and straw, could now be built from bricks and slates from other areas in the country. These new bricks were mass produced, and required less preparation and maintenance; meaning that for the first time over the country, buildings were made from the same material regardless of the region they were located. Many people strive to give their own home the Victorian look today, whether that’s on the outside, inside, or both. But how exactly can you spot a Victorian house? What characteristics do they have? Read on to find out:
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How To Spot A Victorian House
Victorian houses were built in a time where nobody had a car. It was towards the end of the Victorian era when cars were invented, so that means Victorian houses were built without garages. Although we use our garages today for many things, they are first and foremost a place to store the car.
All Victorian houses had chimneys because there was a fireplace in most of the rooms in the house. The fire was all they had as a way of keeping warm; definitely no central heating! That’s why houses of today aren’t built with chimneys.
Bay windows, the kind that stick out, are typically included on a Victorian house.
Iron railings.
Flemish brick bonding.
Patterns were often made in the brickwork with the use of coloured bricks.
Stained glass was sometimes included in doorways and windows.
Roofs were commonly made from slate.
Sash windows were the popular style of window at the time. They add a lot of charm to a house, with glass that ripples and sparkles in the light. If you live in a Victorian home that has sash windows, make sure you get them serviced every so often by a professional company such as Sash Smart!
Depending on the amount of money you had, you’d live in a different kind of Victorian house. People who worked in the countryside would live in little cottages and shacks, while poor people who lived in towns would live in terraced houses (where the houses are all attached). You’d often find rich Victorians living in Villas, while the middle class Victorians lived in slightly more upmarket terraced houses that had gardens and a room for servants in the attic. The terraced houses were usually really small with only two rooms upstairs and two downstairs. The kind the poor lived in didn’t have a garden, just a small space outside where the outside toilet was. If you take a look at the houses on Coronation Street, you’ll see typical Victorian terraced houses!
Inside of a Victorian house, you’d often find:
Dark colours, due to the limited materials they had.
Patterns such as stripes, flora, and fauna.
Detailing on just about everything, from the ceiling to the skirting boards.
Victorian houses still give off an air of grandeur today, so keep an eye out for them while you’re out and about to see what you think!
