Expert: John Henry Architect - 6/9/2009

Question
QUESTION: My daughter just bought a nice english cottage [tudor] style home. Now we notice hundreds of this style around Davenport,Ia. Question is what was the original purpose of the small window to the right of the front doors? Milk? Mail? None of our real estate agents had a clue. Thank you.

ANSWER: Steve,
I think someone has asked this before.
I need to see a photo of a few of these homes before I can best answer your question.
My guess at this point is that when a regional style develops based on a historic precedent one or two details are exploited that become somewhat fashionable to replicate.
A small window to the side of a Tudor generally does not show up consistently in the historic originals.
Here is a revival home with two leaded glass windows flanking the entry: http://www.fotolia.com/id/6494099
Generally speaking windows in medieval to Tudor England tended to be very small (originally covered with stretched animal skins) and only the wealthy were able to afford large glass windows.  See one of the most extravagant examples here: http://gouk.about.com/od/uktoppicks/ig/English-Stately-Homes/HardwickHall.htm
When we do the smaller versions here in the US most architects pick out the characteristic features.  Builders who market these may find that certain traits have an endearing feature that they might repeat.
Small windows may show up anywhere on the house.
Here is an original cottage in Devon: http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/content/image_galleries/kingskerswell_gallery.shtml
Here is another without any small window but I suspect the ones showing were enlarged: http://lulwind.com/
Here is a revival style in the Cotswalds: http://z.about.com/d/architecture/1/0/5/i/cotswold002edit.jpg


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: The part I forgot to add-the window opens to a small area which has a wood floor that matches that inside the house.  There is a door which opens from the inside into the other end of this compartment. That is what makes us think that it was put there for some sort of delivery, but milk would have condensed onto the wood floor within.  It's awfully large for mail, and not marked as such, although that is how it is used today.

Answer
No doubt this could have been simply a security measure -- a way to be handed goods through a smaller opening without the fear of intrusion.
It could also have been a way to keep farm animals out while a transaction was underway.  See the raison d'etre for the Dutch door:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_door
My guess is that in pre Tudor medieval times the front door was completely solid for security reasons and the small window could also be opened to see who was at the door, friend or foe.  The people would have had skins over their window frames due to the cost of buying any glazing at all.  Small windows are due to the defensive nature of architecture in times of war and social upheaval.  Most pre-Renaissance castles and their civilian counterparts had more wall than window by a very large percentage.  Only after war and famine receded a bit did a property owner feel safer installing larger glass windows.

Again, I cannot find enough historical examples to show that this was a common design feature during the Tudor era, especially as configured in current itereations, which leads me to a simple conclusion that designers over several revivals came to include this window feature and that the general public found it quaint enough to keep it in demand in today's revival plans.