Victorian

The Victorian era is mostly seen as a period of great growth and building, but it was in fact a time of boom and bust. What is certain is more building and rebuilding occurred in this period than ever before.

Great industrialists controlled huge wealth, while land became notoriously cheap. Towns and cities grew in response to the ever-dwindling agricultural system, sending flocks of country folk to cities and towns in search of work. Suburban developments were widespread with the villa now becoming a ubiquitous term for ever smaller homes.

It is the plethora of Victorian properties from which the bulk of our built heritage now descends, and while many today appreciate the intricacies and enchantments of Victorian architecture this was not always so – with widespread destruction of Victorian buildings under post-war reconstruction. Despite this, just under a third of all listed buildings date from the 19th century, illustrating the rapid and enormous population growth, and great expansion of building associated with this.

But today Victorian homes are cherished, hugely diverse, beautiful, and familiar in our everyday life, forming a major part of our