Tudor Houses Facts & Worksheets

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Unfinished timber beams, slanted roofs, and overhangs distinguish the Tudor style. This style began in Medieval England and gained popularity under the patronage of emperors and royals. It spread quickly for a couple of hundred years before disappearing into history. It eventually returned in a revival phase, first in England and then in America, where it has remained popular ever since.

See the fact file below for more information on Tudor Houses, or you can download our 32-page Tudor Houses worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

HISTORY

• The Tudor architecture was the Medieval architectural style produced under the early Tudor Dynasty in England between 1485 and 1603. 
• This period includes six rulers: Henry VII, Henry VIII, Edward VI, Jane Grey, Mary I, and Elizabeth I. 
• Tudor architecture is a medieval style incorporating Renaissance and Gothic elements.
• The Tudor architecture contains castle-like elements, yet homes created for the wealthy differed from those occupied by the lower class.
• Lower-class British inhabitants built their Tudor-era dwellings using a timber frame, and, wattle and daub, a mixture of dirt, clay, straw, and other ingredients. 
• While wattle and daub gave the appearance of stucco to these early Tudor-style homes, the material was short-lived.
• Early lower-class dwellings had square or rectangular shapes, flagstone or dirt floors, Inglenook fireplaces, steep roofs, and large windows and doors.
• While many upper-class British citizens built Tudor-style mansions, their designs were unique. These vast buildings had an “E” or “H” shaped floor plan with brick or stone façade, occasionally with half-timbering. They also had intricate gable roofs, large fireplaces, and long brick chimneys.
• Like all architectural styles, the Tudor style fell out of popularity as architects experimented with new concepts. 
• Elizabethan architecture dominated the 17th century, followed by Baroque and Georgian forms.

TUDOR ARCHITECTURE REVIVAL

• Tudor architecture experienced a rebirth in the second part of the nineteenth century and found its way to America by the end of the century. 
• It was also known as Jacobethan architecture, a mix of the terms Elizabeth and Jacob, both from the same eras in English history. 
• This resurgence period lasted until the outbreak of World War II, when national fervor favored American-style buildings, pushing the Tudor style to the edge of extinction. 
• Additional elements contributing to its demise were that the dwellings required expensive materials and restoration. 
• In reality, a secondary Tudor revival occurred in the late twentieth century, and the houses built during this period were known as Mock Tudor houses.

CHARACTERISTICS

Exterior

• Tudor homes have evolved. The following are the key exterior features of Tudor-style homes:
• Half-timbered frame. The vertical wooden beams that go up the exterior of a Tudor-style home are one of its most distinguishing features.
• Steeply pitched roofs. Tudor houses have steep roofs with several gables.
• Brick or stucco exterior. Older Tudor-style residences may have a brick facade, although Tudor revival homes sometimes have white stucco cladding.
• Prominent chimneys. Tudor houses are typical in cold locations and usually include at least one colossal brick chimney.
• Oriel windows. In Tudor-style residences, projecting windows such as oriel, bay, or bow are common.
• Off-center front door. Front doors in the Tudor design are prominent yet off-center.

Interior

• Tudor-style residences’ interiors resemble their exteriors. Here’s what you’ll discover.
• Custom layouts. Asymmetrical floor patterns and bespoke arrangements are common in Tudor-style homes.
• Stained wood trim. The house’s interior will have ornamental wood trim, usually darkly stained.
• Wooden ceiling beams. Ceiling beams may be present in one or more rooms.
• Neutral color schemes. White, creams, tans, and browns are popular interior and exterior colors.
• Arched doorways. Curved or Tudor arches can be found in doorways.
• Tudor Arch The Tudor arch is a design element seen in early Tudor-style homes in the United Kingdom. 
• It’s a four-centered arch with inner curves that are wider than outer curves. 
• The Tudor arch is commonly used for doors. The Tudor arch is used above some windows in great styles.

TYPES OF TUDOR HOUSE

Original English Tudor

• The original English Tudor began in England during the reign of the British monarchs in the 15th century. 
• The original English Tudor home was intended for the wealthy, but commoners only adopted a more modest variation of Tudor building a few decades later.
• The same construction approach, namely half-timbers, could be seen inside and outside the house, with distinctive dark brown and white exteriors. 
• Tudor house construction was time-consuming and labor-intensive, and by the 16th century, this form had lost favor in England.

Characteristics

• The steeply pitched roof is covered in straw thatch, slate, clay, or tiles.
• Windows with multiple panes that are tall and multi-paned.
• Slender columns and tall spires
• Massive stone chimneys with elaborate stacks stretching above the roof.
• Exposed exterior beams, typically constructed of oak. These had dark walls with white-washed accents.
• Some English Tudor homes had ground-to-ceiling beams, whereas others had wooden beams on the upper level and brickwork or other materials on the lower levels.
• Almost every room in the house had exposed wooden beams.
• The exteriors were made of stone or brick.
• The house flooring was originally stone but was later replaced with wood.
• English Tudor rooms were often square or rectangular. Some were even shaped like an H. The ceiling was much lower than in modern English houses.

American Tudor Revival

• The original Tudor-style house arrived in America three centuries later, in the early 1900s. Rather than using big timbers to construct a Tudor home, the American counterpart used the same wood-framing techniques as other residences. 
• The popularity of these residences grew in the United States as Americans embraced the style and began building new homes that combined old-world design with modern characteristics.
• The American Tudor Revival is a stick-style house with real half-timbering and stone or brick walls on the first level. Upper stories were stud-framed and finished with ornamental stucco and imitation timbers.

  Characteristics

  • Two or three stories high.
  • This Tudor style included board strips blended with stucco or stone on the home’s exterior to replicate the half-timbering impression.
  • Cross gables were frequently included in floor layouts.
  • Many tall, gabled windows with diamond or square panes.
  • Steep gable roofs.
  • The leaded glass was used in the windows.
  • Slate replaced thatched roofs because it was easier to repair and replace.
  • Ceilings with decorative beamed ceilings and arched doorway.
  • The interior walls were plastered.
  • Wooden staircases with intricate details.
  • Design in the shape of a rectangle.
  • The second floor extended over a spacious veranda or porch.
  • Massive brick chimneys.
  • The front door often had huge iron knockers to evoke a medieval look.

    Small Tudor Cottages

    • Because a full-size Tudor house was costly, Americans in the Northeast and Midwest resorted to building or restoring modest Tudor cottages.
    • Several ancient grand mansions can be seen in the United States alongside Stick-style and Victorian residences, with many wholly renovated and no longer displaying the characteristic half-timbering.

    • Characteristics

      • One-a-half stories high.
      • Floor plan (rectangular or square).
      • Steep roofs that almost reach the ground level.
      • Tall, decorative chimney.
      • Stone or brick siding with half-timbered exterior above the first floor.
      • Multiple-paned, tall windows.
      • Entrances made of brick or stone.
      • All of the rooms have exposed wooden beams with wood details.

FAMOUS TUDOR-STYLE HOUSES

Ascott House

• Where: Ascott, Buckinghamshire, England
• When: 19th century
• Who built it: James I
• Style: English country house / Tudor style
• What is it now? Currently open to public
• Current owner: Rothschild family / National Trust
• Ascott House, in the hamlet of Ascott near Wing in Buckinghamshire, England, was once a farmhouse known as “Ascott Hall” during the reign of James I.
• Baron Mayer de Rothschild bought the property in 1873 and transformed it over the next few years. The National Trust now owns Ascott House, but the Rothschild family retains close influence, as Sir Evelyn de Rothschild is the current resident.
  

  Blakesley Hall

• Where: Yardley, Birmingham, England
• When: 16th century
• Who built it: Richard Smalbroke
• Style: Tudor style
• What is it now? Community Museum
• Current owner: Birmingham City Council
• Blakesley Hall is a Tudor Hall in Yardley, Birmingham, England. It was erected by Richard Smalbroke, a member of one of Birmingham’s most renowned mercantile families.
• The property changed hands several times before becoming a museum displaying the history of the local medieval manors. It was damaged by a bomb during WWII and subsequently restored as a museum again.
  

  Bramall Hall

  • Where: Bramhall, Greater Manchester, England
  • When: 11th century
  • Who built it: Bromale family
  • Style: Tudor style
  • What is it now? Open to the public
  • Current owner: Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council (SMBC)
• Bramall Hall is a Tudor-style manor house in Bramhall, Greater Manchester. Its history dates back to the 11th century when the Anglo-Saxon freemen Brun and Hacun still possessed the country.
• The property was passed down to Matthew de Bromale in the early 12th century after his father formed the Bromale line and named himself after the estate.
• The family name changed when Alice de Bromale married John de Davenport, and the manor passed to the Davenports. The Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council (SMBC) now owns the property, which is open to the public.

Little Moreton Hall

• Where: Cheshire, England
• When: 16th century
• Who built it: Cheshire landowner William Moreton
• Style: Tudor style
• What is it now? Open to the public
• Current owner: National Trust
• Little Moreton Hall is a half-timbered moated manor house in Cheshire, England. It was built in the early 16th century for the wealthy Cheshire landowner William Moreton and was constantly developed by successive generations of the family.
• The Moreton family retained control of the property until 1938 when it was donated to the National Trust. It is now open to the public from April to December.

Pashley Manor

• • • Where: Pashley Road, Ticehurst, Wadhurst, United Kingdom
    • When: 13th century
    • Who built it: De Passele family / Sir Thomas May
    • Style: Tudor style
    • What is it now? Open to the public
    • Current owners: Mr. and Mrs. Sellick
    • Pashley Manor was erected in the 13th century by the de Passele family and was sold to the Bullen family, who ultimately became the Boleyn family.
    • Sir Geoffrey Boleyn, Lord Mayor of London in 1457 during the Wars of the Roses, used the original mansion at Pashley as a hunting lodge and controlled the manor until Queen Anne Boleyn’s demise in 1536.
    • When the estate was sold to Sir Thomas May, a prosperous iron producer, the ancient lodge was relocated from the moated island—the home known as Pashley Manor was built, which is still in its original form today.
    • The mansion is open to the public and displays Queen Anne Boleyn and Sir Geoffrey Chaucer’s sculptures.

Tudor Houses Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Tudor Houses across 32 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Tudor Houses. Unfinished timber beams, slanted roofs, and overhangs distinguish the Tudor style. This style began in Medieval England and gained popularity under the patronage of emperors and royals.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

1. Tudor Houses Facts
2. Different Housing
3. Let’s Examine
4. The Tudors
5. Which Tudor Am I?
6. Pros and Cons
7. A Day in My Life
8. Searching for Tudors
9. In Pop Culture
10. Tudor Successors
11. House Model

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Tudor house?

A Tudor house is a style of architecture that emerged during the Tudor period in England, which spanned from the late 15th century to the early 17th century. Tudor houses are characterized by their distinctive timber framing, steeply pitched roofs, tall chimneys, and decorative half-timbering on the exterior walls.

What materials were used in building Tudor houses?

Tudor houses were typically built using a combination of timber framing and brick or stone. The timber framing, consisting of vertical wooden posts filled with wattle and daub (a mixture of mud, straw, and manure), formed the structural framework of the house. The walls were then covered with brick or stone, and the spaces between the timber framing were often filled with decorative half-timbering made of wood.

What are some common features of Tudor houses?

Some common features of Tudor houses include steeply pitched roofs, tall chimneys, decorative half-timbering on the exterior walls, leaded glass windows, and often intricate carvings and embellishments on the woodwork. Tudor houses also often have multiple gables, dormer windows, and elaborate doorways with decorative moldings.

What was the purpose of the decorative half-timbering on Tudor houses?

The decorative half-timbering on Tudor houses served both functional and aesthetic purposes. Functionally, it helped to provide stability and support to the timber framing structure. Aesthetically, it was often used to create intricate patterns and designs on the exterior walls, adding to the overall decorative appeal of the house.

How did Tudor houses differ from earlier architectural styles in England?

Tudor houses represented a departure from earlier architectural styles in England, such as medieval Gothic architecture. Tudor houses featured a distinctive combination of timber framing, brick or stone walls, and decorative half-timbering, which was different from the heavy stone construction of earlier styles. Tudor houses were also known for their tall chimneys, steeply pitched roofs, and intricate woodwork, which set them apart from earlier architectural styles in England.

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Link will appear as Tudor Houses Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, August 16, 2017