After a long search we found some old cast iron casement windows at Leominster Reclamation in Herefordshire. They are almost a perfect fit for existing openings, allowing for a new oak frame. The slim profiles of the glazing bars make these windows special – virtually impossible to replicate these days.
I removed the glass and the worst of the paint and then took them down to Townsend Engineering in Bridport for sandblasting (actually aluminium oxide particles – not sand – are shot at high pressure), then primed in Red Oxide. They scrubbed up well:
All the Casements have now been glazed with Victorian ‘Machine drawn glass’ I reclaimed from some old sash windows. Machine Drawn Glass is not quite as good as Hand Drawn Glass or Cylinder Glass, but it still has some pleasing irregularities (such as tiny bubbles) and a wavy surface, which looks beautiful in the sunlight. Modern plate glass is so perfect it has a deadening effect on the character of older buildings.
HOLY MOLY!!!!!!!!!!!! THEY ARE THE NICEST windows I’ve seen in a long time. Please have them re-cast before building in… (too late) xx