All this lockdown exercise has me pounding the streets of Saltaire in a way that I haven't done since I started this blog and was intent on studying the history and architecture of the village. It is thought that, unusually, it was all planned as a complete entity by Sir Titus Salt and his architects, Lockwood and Mawson, even though it took several years for whole village to be completed. There are recurrent motifs throughout the village, and there are several designs of windows with rounded tops. Some of the most ornate are to be found on the large houses on Albert Road, built for the Victorian professional classes: teachers, accountants and senior managers at the Mill. Originally this road formed the western boundary of the village and would have had a pleasant aspect over open fields. Of course, more modern development has encroached but it is still a wide and pleasant street.
I'm glad to hear it was all planned at one time, as that's what we were always told in A-Level Geography! The "posh bits" of towns were always to the west in our cities and towns as the prevailing wind from that direction blew away the smoke and stink of the east ends.
ReplyDeleteThe Victorians certainly made much of their chimneys. My grandparents house, built in 1900 has a fireplace in every room, bedrooms included. Chimneys were, like Italian towers, a certain indicator of wealth and prosperity.
ReplyDeleteThose are lovely arched windows!
ReplyDeleteGreat to see the arches over the windows...how impractical, which of course was the proof of wealth.
ReplyDeleteLovley house, the walk there must be interesting knowing the history of the beginnings.
ReplyDeleteRediscovery.
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