ABSTRACT
Although the Regency period is generally regarded as a continuation of the Georgian period of the eighteenth century, the circumstances in the early nineteenth century were different and this had a direct influence on the architectural style of the period. The Napoleonic Wars had caused shortages which resulted in a doubling of building costs in the two decades between 1790 and 1810. Increases in prices for land and building materials, together with increased pressure for housing in urban areas, resulted in lowering of building standards (Woodforde, 1985). For example, floors sagged due to insufficient timbers, although this tended to be hidden by the use of lath and plaster ceiling.
