If you’re not sure when your house was built, start with identifying any period features. Building materials might give you an indication of when the property was built – with stone often used in much older houses and timber frames dominating the building industry before the introduction of brick. Character features such as exposed beams or frames, decorative plasterwork or thatched roofs can also suggest different building eras.
To determine the accurate date of your property, there are a few places you could look. Check census records to find the first mention of the address, or consult local archives, such as parish records, county records or your local library archives. If your property is listed, its details and history will be recorded with Historic England. You could also try looking at historic maps available from Ordnance Survey.
While there are many more specifics you could explore, here are some clues to look out for if you’re trying to identify the architectural style or era of a particular house.
Features of a Tudor house (15th century)
Timber was the main building material for construction in the Tudor era – which means that many homes from this time have been lost to fire and damage. The frames were usually filled with wattle and daub, a mix of wet soil, clay, sand and straw. Bricks were still too expensive even for higher-quality homes, which used stone instead. In more recent years, this style of building has inspired a huge number of “Mock Tudor” homes (even including one later built at Anne Boleyn's childhood home).
- Thatched roofs
- Exposed timber frame
- Tall chimney
- Half-timbered construction
- Low ceilings and doors
- Small windows
- Cottage style
- Steep gables
- Rarely symmetrical
Features of a Georgian house (18th century)
Georgian homes had generous proportions and large windows, with natural light being a priority for many homeowners of the time. In grander Georgian properties, the top floor was often smaller with lower ceilings – this was where the household staff would have lived during the Georgian era.
- Genorous proportions
- High ceilings
- Tall sash windows
- Inspired by Greek and Roman architecture (indicating the rise of the middle classes at the time, following the Industrial Revolution)
- Elegant
- Panelled, painted front doors
- Symmetry in floorplan and façade
- Double piled (two rooms deep)
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Features of a Victorian house (19th century)
Under Queen Victoria’s reign, there was a boom in modest, accessible housing. This was primarily due to the Industrial Revolution, with an increased population and more homes needed for workers. Terraced house construction boomed during this era, with employers building large numbers of homes to accommodate the influx of workers, particularly in industrial areas.
Georgian features like high ceilings and large windows carried through to the Victorian era, although homes generally became smaller.
- Slate roofs
- Bay windows
- Patterned tile or cast-iron fireplaces
- Assymetric
- Increased use of brick, with displays of colourful brickwork
- Lavish decoration
- Increase in terraced houses, to respond to growing population and workforce in urban areas
Features of an Edwardian house (early 20th century)
Edwardian building design was influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement, which championed handcrafted design over the mass production of the Victorian era. The Edwardian period was set against the backdrop of the garden city movement, which prioritised green space in suburban living. As a result, Edwardian homes are often set back from the street with front gardens.
- Prominence of front gardens
- Glazed front doors
- Parquet wood flooring
- Rise in Arts and Crafts movement and revival of craftsmanship and traditional forms of building, as many rejected the mass-produced goods of the industrial age
- Timber framing
- Pebbledash
- Hanging tiles
- Timber porches
- Colourful and decorative exteriors
- Arrival of electric lighting
- Brighter wallpapers and curtains
Features of a mid-century modern house (mid-20th century)
Mid-century design paved the way for modernist architecture, which was a much more stripped-back style, prioritising minimalist design elements. Shaped by the post-World War II boom and the use of new materials, such as steel, concrete and insulated glass, mid-century modern was all about open spaces and indoor/outdoor living, with a wide, low footprint.
- Brick or concrete construction
- Boxy design
- Wooden wall panelling
- Low-pitched or flat roofs
- Large windows
- Indoor/outdoor living
- Built-in storage
- Open floorplans
- Use of natural materials, e.g. wood
- Statement lighting
Features of a new-build house
New-build houses are most notable for their use of smart technology and energy efficiency, with significant progress made in home automation and reducing environmental impact in recent years.
- Double and triple glazing
- Energy-efficient insulation and fittings
- Garages
- Large expanses of glass
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Top image: a traditional thatched cottage in Wiltshire. Credit: Getty
