The ‘Ancient Lights’ Windows of England
An intriguing phrase. . .
On many old brick buildings around London are signs saying ‘Ancient Lights‘ marked beneath
individual windows. The phenomenon is not unique to London. The signs can be found in Dorset,
Kent, and other places across England. What are they?
‘Ancient Lights’ or the ‘Right to Light’ is an English property law that gives house owners the right
to receive natural light from and through a window if that particular window has been receiving
light uninterrupted for 20 years.
Once a person gains the right to ancient lights, an owner of the adjoining land cannot obscure them,
such as by erecting a building, raising a wall or planting trees.
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Wow! I didn’t know that…
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I’d never heard anything about this either and totally love the fact that the exquisite phrase Ancient Lights is painted on signs and attached under windows.
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It’s great isn’t it? Being able to block someone from building a tall building close to you – only twenty years too!
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The info I’ve read keeps mentioning this is not a Thing in the US, unfortunately
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