This sketch shows the house we call Williamson's in 1820. The properties either side weren't drawn, but this gives us a good idea of what one of his houses looked like. The blocked up windows? ... Builders were burdened at the time by a ‘window tax’. In 1807 if a house had up to nine windows, the owner had to pay 2 shillings tax for each of them; more than nine and the rate was doubled. We suspect that he built frames for twelve windows, including those at the back, but blocked three at the front so as to avoid the higher tax - a common practice at the time.

Click anywhere in this window to close it