We think that windows are one of the most important features of a historic building. At one level purely functional, they also define character and period, tell us about the past, bring beauty and lift our spirits.

Draughty, leaking, cold, and covered in condensation – it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking about old windows as a problem that can be solved by replacement. The reality is rarely that straightforward, and tired old windows can often be easily repaired and made to work beautifully.

As part of our heritage consultancy service, we’re often providing advice on the maintenance, conservation and renovation of heritage windows. Our clients are responsible for churches, chapels, historic buildings, listed cottages, country houses and other estate properties. So, we’re keen to keep abreast of the latest thinking.

Here are our key takeaways fresh from a two-day conference in Cirencester: ‘Through the Looking Glass: A Future for Historic Windows’, organised by the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB), Sustainable Traditional Buildings Alliance (STBA) and The Green Register.

This Georgian town house (above) illustrates that beauty is not necessarily sacrificed for function. These Georgian vertical sliding sash windows with their typical elegant glazing bars and frames have both upper and lower leaves opening to allow for circulation of airflow. Internal shutters cover the ground floor windows providing security, privacy, shading, heat retention and acoustic separation from the road beyond. A delicate semi-circular fan light provides daylight into the hallway within, whilst the heavy 6-panelled door provides privacy and protection.

With a focus on history, science and practical solutions, it brought together experts in all of these fields and was a unique opportunity to learn from other professionals and to share our knowledge and experience too.

Six key themes that will be informing our practice, and that we’ll be passing on to clients are:

  1. understanding the history and heritage significance of windows
  2. using clues for dating windows based on physical evidence
  3. recognising historic glass, and options for modern glazing systems
  4. specifying timber repairs and paint finishes
  5. understanding the complex science of heat loss and retrofitting existing windows
  6. justifying the case for retention, and looking at the options for repair improvement or replacement

If you’d like to find out more about windows, or our services generally, get in touch here.