London is an extremely historical city and at one time was regarded as the centre of the world. As such the property in London varies markedly in size, style and function. For example, property includes some of the impressive townhouses of Knightsbridge and Chelsea to the rows and rows of terraces in the east end.
London's history has played an integral part in the development of its architecture, this article looks at an example of Georgian property within the capital and how this form of construction resulted from regulations put in place to respond to the Great Fire of 1666.
Georgian property is in abundance in London. One of the more important examples of this style in London is Clapton Square. This conservation area located in the borough of Hackney contains some great examples of Georgian property, particularly terraces. It was created by wealthy inhabitants of the city and incorporated a central garden and even a drinking fountain.
The square itself has seen some influential visitors, such as Vladimir Lenin. Hackney at this time and throughout the previous century had been regarded as a centre for the wealthy, so much so that Daniel Defoe noted that there were "so many rich citizens that it
contained nearly a hundred coaches".
Georgian property in London is characterised by its uniformity, as result of the London Building act of 1774. This act was contemporarily referred to as the Black Act due to its heavy construction restrictions; essentially it was a delayed response to the Great Fire of London and stipulated that any new houses had to be constructed from brick rather than wood.
As a result of these regulations property in London was also required to have slate roofs and recessed windows whilst the overhangs that characterised medieval construction were abandoned. It is only in the modern era that property buyers now find these features attractive, at the time they were severely resented by the populace.
The great fire did much for the development of London. It did away with many of the cramped and dirty medieval streets and also revolutionised the design and construction of property across the capital. This had a number of benefits, the most considerable being the reduced instances of plague and disease due to the increase in space.
The fire also created the London we see today, removed much of the medieval city and replaced it with the imposing facades that we now consider the epitome of London architecture.
Author Resource:-
Real estate historian Thomas Pretty studies the evolution of London property and which events in history affected this development process.
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