Gorgeous Georgian: The Popularity of Georgian Homes
From 1714 to 1820 every British monarch was called George and, by coincidence, that was the period when domestic classical architecture was at its peak. Borrowing ideas from the ancient world and evolving from the Renaissance, the classical order took over to the almost total exclusion of other architectural styles.
Proportion was everything and Georgian houses have it in abundance. We often think of the style as being that of a typical dolls house, with its central door flanked by sash windows rising over two or three floors. Symmetry was paramount. Building techniques were progressing, with brick or stone replacing timber. Improved glass making techniques left leaded lights behind, enabling these new houses to be flooded with much more light than before. The growing middle classes were looking to flaunt their wealth and what better way to do it than to buy a new Georgian house with the latest styles inside. They left us with a heritage of exquisite staircases, beautifully proportioned rooms and, if you are lucky, some ornate plaster work. It is worth taking a moment to consider some of these elements.
Externally, a typical Georgian house would have a central door of six panels and a door surround with columns based on Roman precedents, later supplemented by Greek influences. The windows to the front would almost invariably be vertically hung sashes with glazing bars that were slimmer and more elegant than in the time of Queen Anne. Internally, the staircase became symbolic of the owner’s wealth. The treads tend to be shallow and easy to climb while balusters, their bases shaped like ancient vases, added adornment. Higher ceilings helped the circulation of air and were perceived as having health benefits at a time when diseases like tuberculosis were rife. If you were lucky enough to have the money to decorate your ceiling with elaborate plasterwork then you would go to the trouble of paying for experts such as Cortesi who brought his skills all the way from Italy. Inlaid marble fireplaces were also often the product of Italian craftsmen. All in all, it made for a pretty heady mixture.
Georgian houses are remarkably resilient and, 250 years on, you will stand a good chance of finding the original windows, complete with crown glass, showing all its delightful imperfections. Staircases are expensive items to replace, so they also tend to survive the centuries. Classical fire surrounds were a particular Georgian speciality but then, as now, fashion is a fickle thing and many of the finest examples were smashed up by the Victorians, who replaced them with something gothic. Look upstairs, however, and you will often find the original fireplaces in the bedrooms and servants’ quarters.
Georgian houses have an enduring appeal. They look good, they are a pleasure to live in and they don’t make them any more. As a result, even with the fashion for minimalism, there is a bedrock of demand which has enabled them to resist the vagaries of the market more comfortably than many modern properties.
When we think of Georgian architecture we think of Georgian architects, with great names like Adam, Soane and Wyatt tripping off the tongue but it is a fact that most Georgian houses were built without the advice of an architect. Such were the skills of 18th century builders that they were able not only to construct but also to design hundreds of thousands of houses without any form of input from an architect. As with any era, the quality of building was mixed and render was often used to give a smart finish to a poorly built house, especially later in the period.
The great town and country houses were built to order but numerically they were in the minority, with vast swathes of houses (especially in London) built on a speculative basis with profit in mind. If only today’s developers could take a leaf out of their book.
The style is unmistakable and runs through from the humblest cottage to the grandest stately home. If you want to see this legacy just look around you. In the country our Georgian houses and their landscapes are of world importance. In our towns and villages Georgian houses continue to suit today’s needs, perhaps better than ever. Cities like London, Edinburgh, Bath and York offer a huge choice but there is hardly a village in England without a Georgian cottage. Therein lies the key. With prices running from £150,000 to £10m, there is a Georgian house to suit every pocket.
Edward WatersonFRICS
Partner
Born in Yorkshire, Edward qualified as a chartered surveyor and arrived in York in 1982 after working as a property economist in Johannesburg. He became a Partner in Carter Jonas and helped to dev...
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Born in Yorkshire, Edward qualified as a chartered surveyor and arrived in York in 1982 after working as a property economist in Johannesburg. He became a Partner in Carter Jonas and helped to develop the York office into a market leader. An acknowledged expert on period property, he has written several books and appears regularly on radio and television. He also manages a number of large property portfolios for such clients as York Minster.
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