lantern roof and orangeries

The origin of a true orangery in Europe can be traced back to the Padua orangery in Italy (1545) but a very basic form of growing and protecting plants in a structure was going on in Rome at the time of Emperor Tiberius where little translucent mica sheets were used to make  structures to force and grow cucumbers. The first known English orangery was built in Surrey around 1580 for Sir Francis Carew and yes, they were built to protect and provide winter heating for growing oranges.

Orangeries differ from conservatories because they tend to have less overall glass surface area, are normally taller at frame height than conservatories and are often more decorative and ornate. A lantern roof sits on a flat surround or platform to form the roof area. Ellwood also make lanterns on their own to fit onto customer’s own flat roofs which are above room extensions for example. There is a fine dividing line as to what, in planning terms, constitutes the definition of a conservatory as opposed to an extension room to the house.      See our conservatory planning notes.