Georgian housing in London
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During the Georgian era London increased in size greatly to take in previously separate village such as Clapham, hence much of inner London is dominated by Georgian buildings. Georgian houses in London are quite distinctive and in general can be easily distinguished from those built later. Common features include the following:
- Sash windows became common in Georgian times - previously casement windows had been the norm.
- Window frames are rectangular, in contrast to Victorian windows which are often arched or pointed. They often have a width:height ratio of 1:2.
- The roof is often hidden by a parapet. This was originally because of building regulations in central London. However in much of London parapets were added to Georgian houses for aesthetic reasons alone. From the street the building looks as if it has a flat roof, but from the back one can see that there is a sloping roof with a small wall at the front to disguise it. This feature is not found in later houses.
- Suburban buildings are usually constructed from London stock brick, which have a yellowish colour (which with two centuries of pollution looks grey - see 10 Downing Street). More prestigious houses, for example, in Kensington, are rendered with stucco.
