If you're ever decide to look up while walking down a street, you may notice that many older homes have brick covered windows - but do you know the reason why?
It's common to see historic Scottish buildings feature window panes with no glass, and the story behind the architecture is rather interesting. While you may initially think it to be a design choice, or as an extra measure to keep out draughts it actually has to do with money.
The Mirror reports that Historian Alice Loxton recently revealed the truth in an enlightening Instagram post, explaining that windows were previously covered up with bricks to avoid taxes.
Sharing in a video on her profile @history_alice, the tv presenter and author detailed the history of the historic window tax, which charged homeowners more based on how many windows featured on a building. The practice was dubbed "daylight robbery", as it was essentially charging people for "light and fresh air".
Alice spoke in front of one such property and how the tax came to be, as the government expected wealthy homeowners to cough up the cash. Pointing to a set of bricked-up windows, she explained: "This was a result of the notorious 1696 window tax.
"Anyone living in a house with more than 10 windows was to be taxed, the idea being that only the wealthier would pay because they probably had bigger houses.
"But the government underestimated the public's determination to do everything in their power to avoid paying. Rather than cough up cash for the privilege of fresh air many existing windows were bricked-up to reduce the total number of windows in a property to avoid paying the tax and leaving us with this strange feature that we see today."
One person replied: "Interesting! And awful, really. To have to give up light and fresh air!! To be taxed for it in the first place!" Another said: "Fascinating how the history is full of stories of oppressions!"
Meanwhile, someone revealed: "In Belgium we can still see a few of these where people have bricked windows and then painted a window onto the brick, to preserve the overall appearance of the house."
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - sign up to our daily newsletter here .
