THE TUDOR REVIVAL STYLE

The Romantic English revival period gained popularity in the United States in the early 20th century. This style was partially influenced by the Queen Anne movement that took place during the end of the Victorian era. Aesthetic reformers proposed a sweeter, simpler lifestyle, and a simpler house to live in. Additionally, English style houses became popular during this time because of interest in the picturesque. The Arts and Crafts movement, which took place concurrent with the English revival period, encouraged the idea of living in what looked like a simpler time through the design of the home. Furthermore, English style houses were popular for their symbolic value. The late 19th-Century, and the early 20th-Century brought many immigrants of non-Anglo-Saxon heritage to the United States. English-speaking residents of Anglo-Saxon heritage that had lived in the United States for generations built more English style houses to assert their heritage. For those without Anglo roots, the English house became a symbol of aspiration and good taste.

The Tudor revival style incorporates characteristics of English houses that were built during the time of the Tudor dynasty in England. The half timbering of the house is a distinct characteristic that immediately points to the Tudor Revival style. Other characteristics that may help you identify a Tudor style house include steeply pitched roofs, multiple front facing gables, asymmetrical floor plans, an overhanging second floor, arrangements of tall, narrow, diamond-pane casement windows, and decorative brickwork.

Inside an early 20th century Tudor revival house, you might find lots of dark colored wood and metal. Tudor revival chandeliers were typically shaped with a central ring hanging from a metal chain, with holders shaped for candlesticks. Additional half-timbering might be found on the ceiling of large rooms or stairwells. Light fixtures and furnishings will typically have ornamentation that has shapes similar to those seen on a heraldic crest or coat of arms. This includes shields, helmets, animals, foliage or vines, spade shapes, sword shapes, and the fleur-de-lis.

Tudor architecture uses heraldic badges profusely, which typically include animals to symbolize certain traits. The benefit of putting heraldic decoration on a furnishing allows the artist to combine utility and adornment. English gentry families' coats of arms were well recorded in the 16th century, and commonly used ornamentation based on heraldic crests were incorporated as ornaments in Tudor style architecture. The fire-breathing dragon, which was popular in English folklore during the Middle Ages, was used in many coats of arms as a symbol of a guard and defender with keen sight and valiance. Dragons were perceived as powerful and protective. Other popular animals used as heraldic symbols included griffins, owls, and lions. These heraldry symbols, commonly seen during the Tudor period, were loosely incorporated in the Tudor revival period of the beginning of the 20th century.

Tudor Heraldry Symbols

Dragon

The dragon is supposed to have keen sight, which enables it to guard treasures well. It is also said to be the most valiant of creatures, so therefore the dragon is a symbol of the most valiant defender of treasure.
Dragons were perceived as powerful and protective, and with fierce physical features, such as barbed tongues and wings like bats with the ribs extending to the very edge of the skin.
In heraldry, great differences can be found in the way dragon ears are drawn, and in almost all modern representations their tails are barbed, though the dragons of the Tudor period in England invariably had smooth tails.

Griffin

The griffin is a mythical creature, with the head, wings, and talons of an eagle and the body and hind legs of a lion. It is thus composed of the most royal of the birds and the beasts. The griffin was thought to find and guard mines of gold and hidden treasures. The only feature that differentiates a griffin’s head from an eagle’s is its large ears, which stand up from its head. In heraldry, the griffin can be found in all sorts of positions but a female griffin’s wings are never closed. A male griffin, for some reason, does not have wings. Instead, it is adorned with spikes at various points on its body. The male griffin is seldom found on ornamentation. In the Middle Ages, hybrids such as this one were assumed to be possible and to actually exist, just as a mule, which is a cross between a horse and a donkey. Mules were known to be unable to reproduce though, so it seemed logical that a hybrid like a griffin would not be able to either. This explained why griffins were so rare and rarely seen.

Owl

The owl symbolizes one who is vigilant and quick-witted.
It is always depicted in heraldry with its face affront, or facing the observer, though the body is not usually so placed.

The Tudor revival style was most popular in suburbs of the 1920′s. We have salvaged Tudor revival style houses from that time period here in Minneapolis. Tudor revival houses tend to have their more exquisite hanging lights in the main public areas of the house, and fit the private areas on the second floor of the house with flush mount lights. With the switch to completely electric houses, lighting manufacturers marketed new lights with less wires hanging out everywhere as a more modern lighting choice, and a more effective way of wiring one’s house. 

the tudor revival style in our inventory