Property History

The history of residential property in the UK is a fascinating subject. Much of the way our property was built reflects the history of what materials were around in the local area at the time, which often leads to some of the fantastic character that attracts people to older properties. It also shows how we lived our lives at a particular time with large manors and smaller properties for those that worked for the manor to farmhouses where people shared their homes with their animals!

There are literally hundreds of different types of houses that have developed overtime. Some have lasted the test of time, others haven't and can only be seen in museums or historical visitor centres. The main houses that we cover here are the ones that are still around today and that people like to purchase for their character. We look at when they date back to and some of the things that you should bear in mind if you are looking to purchase an older property, and some clues as to where to find them.

Click here for Timber Framed Properties    Click here for Thatched Properties     Click here for Georgian houses

Click here for Victorian houses                  Click here for Edwardian Houses      Click here for 1930s                                   

For information about properties post this period, click here for post 1930s properties .

Another part of the history of property is researching when your own property was built, who built it, what it has been used for, how the boundaries may have changed and who might of lived there.
Click here to find out more about how to research the history of your own property.

If you are interested in finding more about property history such as interior design, preservation or architecture, then here are some of the key websites to look at:-

Society for Preservation of Ancient Buildings
This is a society that you can join, but also has an excellent leaflet you can download explaining what you should consider about owning an older property. Membership costs from around £30 per year. 

English Heritage 
This is an organisation part-funded by the government. They have lots of information about old properties around the country on their site and also about Listed Buildings.

Period Property
A great website for those 'passionate about period property'. Lots of useful information, specialist services, buying and renovating period properties and an ask the expert section too. Well worth a look!

Copyright of Designs on Property Ltd 2005