Victorian, Georgian and Edwardian Conservatory – how to spot the difference

These conservatory designs are also referred to as period conservatories. A Victorian, Georgian and Edwardian Conservatory have many similarities. However, there are ways to tell them apart other than by the cost of the conservatory itself.

In terms of which design is the oldest, Georgian conservatories came first, during the reign of King George III around 1760.

Next came the Victorian conservatory during the reign of Queen Victoria, around 1837.

Lastly to appear was the Edwardian conservatory, during the reign of King Edward VII, in the early 1900’s.

So, how do you tell the Difference Between a Victorian, Georgian and Edwardian Conservatory (and how much do they cost)?

What does a Georgian Conservatory look like?

During the time this design first appeared, glass windows came in smaller sizes and so this was reflected in the appearance of the conservatory.

You will very often see the glazed sides of a Georgian conservatory with the large areas of glass on the sides divided into smaller panes. These dividers have adopted the name of Georgian bars.

UPVC Conservatory with Georgian Bars

The earliest examples of this design would have been cubic, with equal height & width. Larger ones would be the equivalent proportions of 2 cubes side by side.

Georgian rooms can be quite ornate or “fussy” with lots of detail. Fancy roof ridges and sight-lines somewhat obscured by the basic window feature of the Georgian bars. You are also likely to find them with low height brick or blockwork that is used create “Dwarf walls”.

Georgian conservatory roofs, depending on which suits your preferences, can be 3 sided or 4 sided. Wider rooms very often make use of a hipped roof.

Other material you can use for a Georgian conservatory roof, apart from glass, would be translucent polycarbonate. Some may even can go for a solid tiled roof version.

Polycarbonate, whilst cheaper than glass, comes with its’ own drawbacks (noise in the rain & heat control). Tiled roofs on a conservatory are the costliest option. However, they will reduce the natural light, but make it quieter and cooler.

What does a Victorian Conservatory look like?

Making their first appearance after the Georgian era, Victorian conservatories continued the ornate features of the earlier style.

However, the use of Georgian bars in the glazing is not a common feature. You are more likely to see clear glass sides with smaller awing casement windows

The signature look of a Victorian conservatory is the facetted sides, giving it almost a circular shape. Most often, the average sized room will have 3 facets with larger examples having 5. This means an extension of this type will have either 5 or 7 sides in total.

Whilst there are examples of full height glass sided designs in the market, you are more likely to see Victorian conservatories with Dwarf walls.

3 & 5 Facet Victorian Conservatories

What does an Edwardian Conservatory look like?

After many earlier years of ornate styling, in the Edwardian era designers seemed to deliberately simplify how they wanted a conservatory to look.

This is why you will find more plain glazed areas and much less detailing in the Edwardian conservatory style.

The proportions and general appearance of Georgian & Edwardian conservatories are a lot similar. Small Edwardian conservatories will be square, Large designs will be rectangular.

The biggest clue as to which is which, is that the Edwardian will not feature Georgian bars in the glazing.

Edwardian rooms can feature 3 sided, 4 sided or hipped roofing, dependent on your preference. As with the previous designs, solid tiled roofing can be utilised if you prefer.

How much will a Victorian, Georgian and an Edwardian Conservatory cost?

Period designs can’t really be considered as cheap conservatories.  For medium or larger versions of each of these you will need a decent budget of at least £10,000.

Also, don’t forget the interior fittings (see our article here)

Conservatory Price Guide

• Georgian Prices: 4.0m x 4.0m / glass sides / UPVC / poly carb roof. Circa £15,000 to £17,000.
• Victorian Prices: 4.0m x 4.0m / glass sides / UPVC / poly carb roof. Circa £13,000 to £16,000.
• Edwardian Prices: 4.0m x 4.0m / glass sides / UPVC / poly carb roof. Circa £11,500 to £14,000.

To find out how much any style of conservatory costs for your home, get free quotes here: