Potted History

Conservatories were originally built as greenhouses in which to cultivate tender, exotic species in conditions of warmth and humidity.

Originally built as outbuildings for country houses, conservatories flourished in the 18th Century when glass became cheaper and travellers returned from abroad with exotic species of plants requiring near-tropical conditions. They quickly realised that conservatories were ideal and many citrus trees were cultivated (thus the name orangery) - At last, it became possible to live in the garden all year round.

In the 19th Century improved iron and glass building techniques put conservatories within the reach of humbler folk - and led to the building of large structures such as those at seaside resorts and spas and indeed the most spectacular of all - Crystal Palace in London. The popularity of the Crystal Palace led to a standardisation of the conservatory for the Victorian middle class, which became ever more ornate as tastes changed, with many of these original conservatories providing an apt setting for formal tea parties, which were popular at this time.

By the 1920s, the cast iron conservatory had succumbed to frost damage and the ravages of rust. To some extent they were also the victims of their own success, being added to smaller and smaller houses until they fell from favour with the day's glitterati! Very few new conservatories were being built and as houses became warmer and more comfortable there was a reaction against previous conservatories that tended to be cold in winter unless kept warm at almost prohibitive cost.

It was not until the early 1970s that new developments in materials such as uPVC and float glass made the conservatory a practical proposition once again and from here they evolved into the styles we know today.

In 1983 entrepreneur John Lancaster decided that the time was right to create a pre-fabricated conservatory roofing system, as up until this time, installers had to rely on their wits and create each roof whilst on site, cutting to size any components that would suffice. Ultraframe quickly became established as the pioneers of the emerging modern conservatory industry and became renowned for innovation and technical excellence - values which are still at the very core of Ultraframe conservatory roofing systems today.

As the market has grown and developed, other companies have entered the conservatory roofing sector, but Ultraframe has continued to maintain the position of market leader and still carries a formidable reputation for technical exellence,

A lantern style design is a nod to the conservatories of time gone by, ask your Ultra Installer for details.