April 3, 2012

Mock Tudors

As I mentioned the other day, when I was out looking at houses with a French influence, I also found a lot with an English influence, specifically mock Tudor.

Some of the more common characteristics of a mock Tudor, or Tudor revival house are:

Decorative half-timbering, or exposed wood framing usually dark in colorStucco facade (light-colored) or patterned brickwork between timbers Tall, narrow windows in groups of three or more Small, diamond-shaped window panes or square-shaped panes set diagonally A Tudor chimney is a stepped-back chimney,often massive in size and decorative chimney pots which may top ornate chimneys Steeply pitched roof usually covered with slate or wood shingles Prominent cross gables and overlapping gables A Tudor-arched entrance uses a shallow archenglish influence

Here are a few more examples that caught my eye.

This is one of my favourite houses. I love the windows on the upper floor. If it was in Britain, the roof would be thatched. This one’s slate.

Another perennial favourite. This house sat empty for year and years. Then some friends bought it and had a huge “banishing the ghosts” party. Right after that, someone offered them cash for the house and they sold!

This is the oldest planned shopping center in the US. It now houses restaurants, banks and shops on the ground floor and offices above that.

The firehouse next door to the shopping center echoes the design of the side of the center.

This building used to be the home of Girls’ Latin School, but it’s been divided up into apartments. I am sure they’re great spaces.

Which house do you like best?

13 comments:

  1. Very interesting. Some of the later houses are drifting away into Arts & Crafts (almost Luytens designed) and the shot of the firehouse is sliding towards the Dutch influence, found on the east coast of Britain. The 'haunted' house is straight out of the Cotswolds! I love your article - makes me feel a little homesick for England...

    ReplyDelete
  2. All are lovely, however, the home sporting stucco and stone with the peaked entry door caught my eye. It reminds me of the home we had some time ago in upstate New York. It was built on the GE Plot adjacent to Union College... lovely area but Baltimore's old neighborhoods and architecture are tough to compete with!
    Our house had the steep roof like the one in your collection except it was copper with beautiful green patina.
    I do love Baltimore. Thanks for the tour!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have friends now visiting South Africa who are sending back photos, so I see the Dutch influence in the firehouse, too. The Arts & Crafts Movement of the late 19th and early 20th century was influenced by the Elizabethan and Tudor periods, especially seen in houses in this country. Some call some of the revival houses of the 'teens "Tudorbethan" because of their mixture of the two styles. In the 20s, Tudor Revival really came into its own with the furniture and even a car to complete the life style.

    ReplyDelete
  4. So many interesting homes Meg. I love the Ghost Party House as well as the 5th down. It is stone with the rotunda room at the front ( or actually it looks like you shot a side view) I can see the urns and jutting window above the doorway. Gorgeous!!!

    xoxo
    Karena
    Art by Karena

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have to agree that the one with the lovely windows should be thatched! And, it is my fav ... but if it was mine, would look into adding thatch.

    Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thad... i am pretty sure that thatch wouldn't meet the fire codes! but it would look amazing on this house, to be sure.

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a treat! those owners must be house proud.!! Were not those homes built in a galaxy far far away, I mean when there were trades of skilled stonemasons and carpenters today not so much -- just unemployed unskilled uninspired construction. A crumbling infrastructure of bridges, roads knits this country of corrupt city and county governments , medical professionals bilking a government healthcare system . now a generation of school children turning off from classroom education turning on to make believe world in cyberspace --victims video game addiction syndrome. I like the house with the Oriel feature. Why "mock" Tudor-- in a Tudor home of the time were the exposed timbers mortise and tenon joinery , timbers hand hewn and actual support for the structure and what we see strictly decorative but inspired by buildings built during the Tudor reign How long were the Tudors on the throne Henry the VIII was a Tudor right?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Forget the thatch--slate is pure class, and that curving slate roof is a tour de force. These houses look so much like Shaker Heights, Ohio it is amazing. I'll have to get out my camera when I return there.
    --Road to Parnassus

    ReplyDelete
  9. There are loads of houses like these on Long Island, too, and my German soul rises up and smiles every time I see one. Love, love, love them ALL.

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a delight! In my neck of New England we have almost no Mock Tudors.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi Meg....I've been a fan of your blog for some time now. I also live in Balto. and travel the same roads as you, apparently! I love this post...you have picked so many of the homes that I adore from afar. Thanks for making Baltimore beautiful for the rest of the world!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love the post Meg! I am in Northwest Ohio and have the pleasure of owning a "Tudorbethan". They are lovely homes, I am honored to have one:) I am starting a series on my blog about the renovations of our home & garden titled "Our English Tudor". I would love for you to stop by and visit! Until then~Penny

    ReplyDelete
  13. I am fond of the true Tudors, with all the rich, expensive materials & beautiful details!
    After all--that is what Tudors were meant to be--homes only the rich could afford, which stood out from the others built with cheaper materials & not meant to last.
    However, I wouldn't want to live in one since most are very dark inside.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for reading and commenting on Pigtown*Design. I read each and every comment and try to reply if I have your e-mail address.