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A Complete Guide to Tudor-Style Houses

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Tudor Style houses are unmistakable; they shout old-world charm and hark back to an age when “a man’s home was his castle”. 

Lovers of history and traditional architecture have long appreciated the style and its charm continues to beguile people to this day — so, with its origins in the Middle Ages, just what is it that makes a 500-year-old architectural style so appealing, to so many? 

In this article, we’ll look at the Tudor Style and why Tudor homes are still sought after.

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What is Tudor Style?

Tudor Style, Tudor Revival, or Mock Tudor as it is also known, first appeared in the US in the mid-19th century and is characterized by the prominent use of timber mock beams, brick, and high-peaked roofs. 

Highly distinctive, Tudor Style’s solidity and sheer “presence” have always been associated with affluence and success, and the style is now regarded as a timeless benchmark of quality construction and thoughtful design. 

History of Tudor Style

The term ‘Tudor” comes from the name of the ruling royal house in Britain in the years 1485-1603 — although the style and its techniques date from the earlier Medieval Period. 

Reinvented and reimagined many times through the years, it has long been associated with the countryside and the concept of the English manor house.

Tudor Style Houses in the US

The adoption of the Tudor Style in the US hit its zenith in the boom years of the 1920s. Such was the association of the style with affluence and wealth, that it came to be known as Stockbroker’s Tudor. 

Elaborate, well-proportioned, and well-built, the Tudor Style of the ‘20s said, simply: “We’ve made it.”

Post-War Decline in Popularity

Service personnel coming home after the end of World War 2 kickstarted the baby boom of the 50s and housing needed to be built quickly and cheaply to accommodate the growth in population. 

Tudor Style fell out of favor as developers began building mass-produced houses to cope with the new demand. As ever, though, fashions and styles come full circle, and Tudor is now seen as a classic style with a cachet all its own.

Identifying a Tudor-Style Home

Roofs: The Unmistakable Signature Silhouette 

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Perhaps the most characteristic trait of a Tudor house is its trademark high-pitched roof. 

In medieval and Tudor Britain, the roofing material of choice was thatch, but with the reinvention of the style, and in keeping with its aura of affluence, builders adopted more expensive and durable slate tiles to roof the new houses. 

Chimneys punctuate the roof line of a Tudor home and are often highly ornate and unique to a particular house. 

Another distinguishing feature of a Tudor home is cross gables with mock beams. These, perhaps more than any other feature, mark a house out as Tudor Style.

A-Symmetrical Layouts: Architectural Freedom Unleashed

There’s no classic layout for a Tudor home, and therein lies much of the Tudor Style’s charm: the houses have their own character and quirks. 

They can look like a quaint country retreat or an imposing stately home, or anything in between. The only limit to the style was the architect’s budget and imagination.

Doors: Sturdy Structures Inspired by the Middle Ages

One of the salient features that give Tudor homes a feeling of security and solidity is their front doors. Inspired by the Middle Ages, and constructed using solid timbers such as cherry, mahogany, or oak, the doors typically exhibit exposed wrought-iron studs and oversize hinges. 

Another common feature is rounded arched doorways, often bordered with natural stone. A stone inlay above the door was a traditional feature and often held a family’s coat of arms.

Leaded windows in the front door are also common. However, as the style originated in England’s damp and chilly climate, the total number of opening windows in a Tudor home is usually kept to a minimum to prevent heat loss.

Windows: Geometric Lattice Lead Glass

A striking feature of the Tudor Style is its use of glazing and the size and positioning of windows. Utilizing the lattice glazing method, the windows were traditionally made of interconnecting diamonds or “lozenges” separated by strips of lead. 

In Tudor times, the method was used by builders to make use of the small pieces of glass typically available at the time, but the technology continues to this day because it is so emblematic of the style.

As mentioned, the original Tudor houses were not usually built with many fully opening windows, although more modern examples of the style do tend to have better ventilation.

Another typical feature of Tudor glazing is dormer windows. Standing proud of the main roofline, they are covered with their own tiled roofs and are themselves distinctive emblems of “typical Tudor”.

Bay and oriel windows are another ornamental feature that adorn Tudor Style homes. Generally smaller than dormer windows, these pronounced window “boxes” are sometimes arranged in rows, giving yet more character to the roofline. 

Woodwork: Distinctive Patterns and Traditional Craftsmanship

It’s the use of wood in a Tudor Style home that is so eye-catching and distinctive. The timbers in the Tudor buildings of the late 1400s were structural and made of massively strong English oak, but today wood is used mostly for decorative purposes. 

Wood is used both inside and out in the Tudor Style: exterior walls feature timber trim; interior walls may be luxuriously wood-paneled, and ceilings feature wood mock beams. 

Floors often exhibit high-quality hardwood wooden floorboards or the very attractive “herringbone” style of parquet flooring.

Interiors of a Tudor-Style Home

Entryways: Practical and Functional

Because of the need to conserve heat in colder climates, Tudor Style homes often have an entrance hall prior to the main door to the house. 

Another typical feature is to have the main staircase located near the front door.

Large Wooden Staircases: Statement Pieces that Create Distinction and Elegance

The staircases in a Tudor home are one of its most noteworthy features. 

Wide, solidly built, and decoratively made with ornate banisters, they form the main “highway” of the house and often frame an atrium spanning several floors. 

Tudor Living Rooms: Warm Spaces to Share with Loved Ones

A warm and cozy fireplace is the focal point of a typical Tudor Style living room and forms a natural place for the family to congregate around. 

Carved stone often surrounds the fireplace itself, with the most ornate fireplaces displaying motifs such as maple leaves, acorns, or wild game. “Baronial” is a word that comes to mind when describing the Tudor Style fireplace and living room.

Tudor Bedrooms: Cozy Spaces for Sound Sleep

Bedrooms are normally on the top floor of most houses, and with the steeply pitched roofs associated with the style, Tudor bedrooms often have sloping walls and gabled windows. 

This is a distinctive aspect that means bedrooms have a snug feel that’s conducive to a good night’s sleep.

Lawns and Gardens of Tudor-Style Houses

American Tudor homes are generally situated well away from the road, with a long, winding stone or brick pathway to the front door, and are frequently surrounded by classical English-style gardens that include clipped hedges and ornamental topiary. 

Who should purchase a Tudor-Style House?

Lovers of traditional architecture will get a real kick out of the heritage and history associated with the Tudor Style. Moreover, the style is a natural fit for colder climates due to its natural warmth, solid feel, and energy-saving features.

The Advantages of a Tudor-Style House

The Disadvantages of Tudor-Style Houses

The Differences Between Tudor and Renaissance Styles

As a classic architectural style, Tudor Style is often associated with the Renaissance Style, which arose around the same time. Renaissance Style developed predominantly in Tuscany, Italy, and was to have a marked influence on the Tudor Style throughout the Elizabethan era. 

There are some notable differences between the two styles, however. For example, Renaissance Style homes don’t feature timber on the exterior, and are generally more symmetrical in shape, with less steeply angled roofs. 

Modernizing, Preserving, and Renovating Tudor-Style Homes

Tudor Style homes deserve to be well looked after and part of their care involves understanding the style’s unique features — so it pays to do a little research. A good starting point would be a local historian or conservation officer. 

A big no-no with any Tudor house is painting over exposed wood or removing original features. Of course, it’s normal to want to modernize kitchens and bathrooms, but even here a little care should be used to try to find fittings that harmonize with the overall style of the property.

Ripping out walls to create a more modern living space might appear like a good idea but might be counterproductive when the time comes to sell. Aficionados of Tudor Style value and look for original features and layouts, so it pays to preserve the historical integrity of the building whenever possible. 

Examples of Tudor-Style Houses on Flyhomes

Boston, Massachusetts

New York, New York

Washington DC

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Baltimore, Maryland

Denver, Colorado

Arlington, Virginia

Des Moines, Iowa

Tudor Style Homes: Frequently Asked Questions

Are Tudor Style Homes Expensive?

One of the great things about the Tudor Style is that there are homes available across the entire real estate price range. From bijou cottages nestled in the woods to grandiose estates with imposing grounds, there’s a Tudor property for everyone. 

It’s worthwhile to remember, though, that size for size, Tudor Style does command a higher price than most modern builds because of the quality of its construction.

Are New Homes Built in the Tudor Style?

There are new homes being built completely in Tudor Style, often at the premium end of the market and with considerable input from the owners-to-be on matters such as layout and features.

The heyday of the style may be over, but Tudor elements, such as steeply pitched roofs and bay windows, are still used in new builds across the country, and reflect Tudor’s lasting influence on vernacular architecture. 

Do Tudor-Style Homes Have Porches?

Tudor Style houses don’t tend to have long, low-roofed American-style porches, as the style originated in England’s cold, damp climate where people tend to spend more time indoors. 

However, being such an adaptable,  idiosyncratic style means that it’s entirely possible to build a sympathetic addition to a Tudor Style home.

A very practical addition would be an English-style porch with benches flanking the approach to the front door — a great place for putting on muddy boots and dealing with dogs eager for a walk.

Where Are Tudor-Style Homes Most Popular?

Tudor-Style homes can be found across the US, but are most commonly encountered in colder parts of the country because of their good thermal mass and conservative use of windows.

But with appropriate heating, ventilation and cooling, the style works virtually anywhere and offers buyers the chance to live in a house that really says, “this is our home”. 

What Other Styles Are Related to Tudor Styles

The Tudor Style is related to and predominantly associated with the Elizabethan and Renaissance styles and shares the same old-world “feel” and some features.

Tudor definitely shouts “England!” — if it were a person, it would be warm, solid, ruddy-faced and jovial.  Renaissance style is, perhaps, a little more refined and elegant, and possibly better suited to warmer parts of the country.

Who Coined the Term Stockbroker’s Tudor?

The term “Stockbroker’s Tudor” was first coined by the English architectural historian and cartoonist, Osbert Lancaster in the 1930s. 

A fierce proponent of building conservation and good civic planning, he is famous for penning a cartoon of Richard Nixon during the height of the Watergate Scandal, standing by a toilet, saying: “Tapes? What tapes?”

Conclusion

Style never goes out of fashion and lovers of the Tudor Style will continue to seek out, buy, and enjoy these timeless properties for decades to come. 

Generally large, with ample gardens, Tudor homes are ideal for growing families and will always be in demand as warm, characterful, and comfortable homes. 

Browse Flyhomes’s full selection of Tudor Style homes to find your own little piece of England. 

Happy hunting!

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READ NEXT: What Is a Colonial Style House?

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