Are you looking at updating your conservatory to an orangery, changing your conservatory roof to a tiled to make it warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer? Or are you even considering the prospect of purchasing a conservatory for the first time and in the process getting a selection of quotes from trusted local providers?
Well here at Landywood Windows we’ve been looking back at the history of the conservatory and we found out some really interesting stuff about the popular cost effective alternative to a full-blown extension.
So here are our top ten interesting findings looking back on the history of the conservatory.
- Unlike today, the first conservatories were used for storing food and did not have windows. It was not until later that they became glazed and even then were largely used for protecting plants during cold spells.
- Conservatories can be dated back as far as the 16th Century.
- Conservatories were popular when it came to growing tropical and exotic plants, as well as citrus fruits.
- Conservatories became more popular and cheaper in the 19th century as the cost of cast iron went down.
- Probably the most famous conservatory of all was The Crystal Palace. This was a huge cast iron and plate glass structure, which was originally built in Hyde Park, and housed the Great Exhibition of 1851.
- Modern day famous and iconic conservatory-based structures include The Eden Project in Cornwall, Temperate House, which is situated in Kew Gardens and the Barbican Conservatory in London.
- The widespread construction of conservatories came to a halt in the UK at the start of World War II.
- It was in the 1970s that conservatories started to reemerge as builders began to recreate the Victorian styling of conservatories in smaller domestic versions on the back or to the side of homes.
- A conservatory differs from the popular modern-day orangery in the fact that more than 75% of its roof surface is made from glass.
- It is estimated that a conservatory can increase the value of a home by between 5-10%.
I know we said ten, however we were feeling generous, so as a bonus did you know a conservatory is normally considered permitted development? So, under normal circumstances, you probably won’t have to apply for planning permission. However, there are some restrictions that you’ll need to check out before beginning building work.
If you are considering upgrading your current conservatory or potentially investing in a new one across, Walsall, Wolverhampton, Dudley or South Staffordshire please get in touch to see if the team here at Landywood Windows can be of assistance.