Tudor Style
The name Tudor suggests that these houses imitate English architecture from the early 16th century. However, most Tudor style homes were inspired by building techniques from an earlier time. They may have overlapping gables, parapets, and beautifully patterned brick or stonework. These historic details combine with Victorian or Craftsman flourishes.
Tudor style houses often feature striking decorative timbers. These timbers hint at, but do not duplicate, Medieval building techniques. In Medieval houses, the timber framing was integral with the structure. Modern Tudor houses, however, merely suggest the structural framework with false half-timbering. This decorative woodwork comes in many different designs, with stucco or patterned brick between the timbers.
Tudor styling takes on a variety of forms ranging from elaborate mansions to modest homes with mock masonry veneers. The style became popular in the 1920s and 1930s, and modified versions became fashionable in the 1970s and 1980s.
Tudor style homes have many of these features:
- Decorative half-timbering
- Steeply pitched roof
- Prominent cross gables
- Tall, narrow windows
- Small window panes
- Massive chimneys, often topped with decorative chimney pots
Photos of Tudor style homes
Click on a photo to see a larger version.
