The History of Guttering

THE HISTORY YEOMAΝ OF GUTTERING RAINGUARD RAINWATER SOLUTIONS Gutters, or rainwater systems if you prefer, are a common sight in the world today. However, guttering systems haven't always been so common and in STONE 43 AD 410 AD the past water would be left to run unchecked from the roofs of many buildings. So where did it all begin? THE ROMAN CONQUEST OF BRITAIN ROMAN OCCUPATION ENDS Much of the knowledge was lost when the Roman occupation ended around 410 AD and gutters for the most part were neglected and forgotten about. The Roman conquest of Britain, which began in 43 AD brought a deep understanding of how beneficial it can be to effectively manage rainwater. The Romans employed not only guttering systems, but also cistern to store water for cooking and washing. LEAD NORMAN CONQUEST OF BRITAIN DID YOU KNOW? In the UK over the last 100 years there has been a total rainfall of DID YOU KNOW? 10 66 Gargoyles came into gothic architecture in the early 13th century and are defined as "a waterspout, projecting from an upper part of a building or a roof gutter to throw water clear of walls or foundations." The origins of the word 'gargoyle' are derived from the old French word 'gargouille' meaning throat 110,568.2 mm. This measures a staggering 110.568 metres which is almost the same size as St Pauls Cathedral which measures in at The Norman invasion of 1066 is perhaps the most significant date when it comes to the emergence of gutters in the UK. Following his victory at the Battle of Hastings, Duke William Il settled many of his countrymen in England. This influx of people meant that many of the towns and cities underwent overhauls, with larger and grander buildings being erected. 111 metres tall. DISSOLUTION OF THE INTRODUCTION OF GARGOYLES 10 66 MONASTERIES BY HENRY VIII The Norman Conquest also facilitated the introduction of gargoyles, which helped to spill water clear of the building. Medieval Gothic gargoyles were made of stone. Later gargoyles, especially in churches, were predominantly limestone and marble. At this time lead was the material most commonly used when installing gutters. The Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539 played a large role in the number of properties that had guttering systems and also the appearance of them. Suddenly there were larger quantities of lead available, which was mostly used to create guttering. 1539 1240 1ST DOWNPIPE INSTALLED AT THE TOWER OF LONDON In 1240 a downpipe was erected at the Tower of London, with the aim of protecting the buildings walls, which had just been whitewashed. This is significant in that it is the first recorded use of a downpipe in Britain. CAST IRON CAST IRON PRODUCTION 17 09 The emergence of coke as a smokeless solid fuel enabled cast iron to be produced in large quantities and at relatively low costs. By the turn of the 19th Century cast iron gutters become more popular than lead, which was more costly and did not perform as well. DID YOU KNOW? DID YOU KNOW? Contrary to popular belief April isn't the month with the Since 1910, there has been an average of 1,095.32 mm worth of rainfall in the UK. This is around the same height as Kenny Baker who is most famous for his role as R2-D2 in the Star Wars film franchise. PLASTIC highest total rainfall. Since 1910, December is the month with the highest total rainfall in the UK. 19 39 PLASTIC PRODUCTION (1939-1945) Shortages during the Second World War lead to the rapid development of plastics. As shortages continued after the war, plastic rainwater systems emerged 1950s ALUMINIUM 1960s CAST IRON GUTTERING ALUMINIUM GUTTERING RISES SUPERSEDED Plastic guttering became commonplace by the mid-1950s; superseding cast iron gutters as the most popular choice. Changes in the way that aluminium guttering was produced changed the guttering landscape completely. Aluminium gutters were able to be produced quicker, more robust and ultimately much cheaper. The change in manufacturing has meant that aluminium challenged plastic by providing a much more durable and aesthetically pleasing alternative. Harrison Thompson & Co Ltd. Yeoman House, Whitehall Estate, Whitehall Road, Leeds LS12 5JB Tel: 0113 279 5854|[email protected]