I am a huge fan of the thatched roof and I was so delighted when I went to England and got to see them. Actually I saw them in several of the countries over there but I believe England was the one that really stood out!
I am so happy that you captured a build. That was really interesting and what I would call a very niche market. What kind of training do they have for this? Is there a school that they go to? Or is it a trade that you learn on the job? I'd be interested in knowing that.
I want to thank you for posting this most interesting blog and if they haven't finished the roof, I'll bet it would be very cool to take a video of it. I hope you have a most wonderful week looking forward!
Hi Denise, the thatched roofs are beautiful to see and there are many still all over the UK unfortunately there are no training programmes for young people. The government cancelled the funding for the training.
The only way to get trained now is to find a thatcher who is willing to train the apprentice for 4 or 5 years in the skills needed.
The national association goes into more details on their blog
I agree a time lapse of this thatching process would be interesting to see.
I I have always admired your thatched roofs in England. How cool that you got a photo of a new one being installed. That is a niche market, for sure. I hope new "thatchers" are being trained.
Howdy sir molometer! that is amazing, I've never seen anything like that thatched roofing work being done! You would think that the insurance companies would require them to coat it with a fire retardent spray or something.
You would think that the insurance companies would require them to coat it with a fire retardent spray
Today they do and they are. Even though thatch roofs were banned in London in 1212 BCE it didn't stop the Great fire of London in 1666. The vast majority of buildings then were made of wood.
The buildings that survived the great fire were mostly banks and churches... which were made of stone!
Okay thanks sir molometer, that makes sense. I've never seen a thatch roof and as far as I know there aren't any over here so it's a very fascinating roof material. I suppose there are growers who grow specific type of grass or plant for that? I don't even know what the thatch is made of!
The most common plants for thatch in the Uk were/are water reeds or barley straw although you can used just about anything including bullrushes and palm fronds in the right climate.
I seem to recall that that some of the tribes used thatch where you are?
Isn't that too cool. I've seen them in that game I mentioned on another comment. Good idea to know this stuff.
Never know when we might need to build one. ☺
The home to lots of wild life part is a little creepy! Lol. Sorry. : ) They are beautiful and quite a skill to make one! Not sure sure i would want to sleep under one. Is it all just solid thatch from the ceiling inside to the outside? A brand new one must be pretty nice.
There's a story of Julius Caesar while he was in Europe refusing to sleep under thatch. The Romans had large crews of construction experts of all kinds with them and they had a slate and tile roof home/office they would build for him everywhere they set up camp. I would like to have seen that!
If these old guys tried to do a backflip it wouldn't be pretty and I can imagine a few broken bones to boot They were both well into their 60's if not older!
Thatch can be treated with fire retardent but the invention of slate tiles is what really killed them off.
I remember loving seeing the thatched roofs when I was England I think I only ever saw them in the countryside , sp seeign them at work, but what surprised me that there are still 900 Thatchers there, I would never have thought it was so many but I am sure your right it is a profession that no doubt is fading out slowly
We don’t see many of those up North, but they do look good although it always amazes me they manage to stay water tight!
They are certainly doing a good job up those ladders - I do t imagine it’s a skill that the youth is eager to learn but it would be a shame to see the tradition die out.
Superb post thank you for sharing these fantastic photos, it’s always amazing seeing little slices of our English heritage.
With so few people capable of doing this kind of work any young person with two brain cells you would think would be jumping into this trade?
When they finish the roof I'll get a few more shots of the finished result. You are right about not being many thatch roofs up north. I didn't see any in Cumbria just loads of old slate roofs which have a charm of their own.
it’s always amazing seeing little slices of our English heritage.
I'll do more of these types of posts as I find them really interesting and I'm doing some videos of these old crafts. I like watching people work lol
I am a huge fan of the thatched roof and I was so delighted when I went to England and got to see them. Actually I saw them in several of the countries over there but I believe England was the one that really stood out!
I am so happy that you captured a build. That was really interesting and what I would call a very niche market. What kind of training do they have for this? Is there a school that they go to? Or is it a trade that you learn on the job? I'd be interested in knowing that.
I want to thank you for posting this most interesting blog and if they haven't finished the roof, I'll bet it would be very cool to take a video of it. I hope you have a most wonderful week looking forward!
!tip
Hi Denise, the thatched roofs are beautiful to see and there are many still all over the UK unfortunately there are no training programmes for young people. The government cancelled the funding for the training.
The only way to get trained now is to find a thatcher who is willing to train the apprentice for 4 or 5 years in the skills needed.
The national association goes into more details on their blog
I agree a time lapse of this thatching process would be interesting to see.
Have a lovely week and thank you for the tip 😊
Amazing work.
Thank you, glad you liked the photos.
I I have always admired your thatched roofs in England. How cool that you got a photo of a new one being installed. That is a niche market, for sure. I hope new "thatchers" are being trained.
You would think that young people would jump at the chance to learn this trade but it seems not?
They have trouble finding people?
Howdy sir molometer! that is amazing, I've never seen anything like that thatched roofing work being done! You would think that the insurance companies would require them to coat it with a fire retardent spray or something.
Today they do and they are. Even though thatch roofs were banned in London in 1212 BCE it didn't stop the Great fire of London in 1666. The vast majority of buildings then were made of wood.
The buildings that survived the great fire were mostly banks and churches... which were made of stone!
Okay thanks sir molometer, that makes sense. I've never seen a thatch roof and as far as I know there aren't any over here so it's a very fascinating roof material. I suppose there are growers who grow specific type of grass or plant for that? I don't even know what the thatch is made of!
The most common plants for thatch in the Uk were/are water reeds or barley straw although you can used just about anything including bullrushes and palm fronds in the right climate.
I seem to recall that that some of the tribes used thatch where you are?
howdy again sir molometer! Thanks for the information and yes the Apache in Texas used to make thatch huts. I'm not sure what kind of grass.
Isn't that too cool. I've seen them in that game I mentioned on another comment. Good idea to know this stuff.
Never know when we might need to build one. ☺
The thatched roof might keep the building cooler in summer. Thatched looks good on that style of roof .
Hi Red, yep they are cool in summer and warm in winter.
They also are home to lots of wildlife 😀
The home to lots of wild life part is a little creepy! Lol. Sorry. : ) They are beautiful and quite a skill to make one! Not sure sure i would want to sleep under one. Is it all just solid thatch from the ceiling inside to the outside? A brand new one must be pretty nice.
There's a story of Julius Caesar while he was in Europe refusing to sleep under thatch. The Romans had large crews of construction experts of all kinds with them and they had a slate and tile roof home/office they would build for him everywhere they set up camp. I would like to have seen that!
Yep thatch is a regular hotel for all kinds of wildlife from field mice to owls and everything in between.
That's very interesting story of Julius Caesar and the tiled roof. The Romans were very advanced in building tech and took it when they left.
It was centuries later before tlies were used again in England. Fascinating.
But a robot can do backflip like this?
Can these guys? :-)
I suspect maybe there can be some treatment that can prevent fire now, no?
If these old guys tried to do a backflip it wouldn't be pretty and I can imagine a few broken bones to boot They were both well into their 60's if not older!
Thatch can be treated with fire retardent but the invention of slate tiles is what really killed them off.
New technology hey!? 🤣🤣
I won't try any backflip either.
It's always technology that disrupt.
Yep new tech drives out old skills usually. I think these old guys jobs are safe? 😂
I remember loving seeing the thatched roofs when I was England I think I only ever saw them in the countryside , sp seeign them at work, but what surprised me that there are still 900 Thatchers there, I would never have thought it was so many but I am sure your right it is a profession that no doubt is fading out slowly
There is no official data on numbers.
I got that figure from their national association.
900 in a population of 60+ million is pretty small when you recall the number of thatched roofs in the UK.
They will never be short of work. That's for sure 😊
Yes when you look at it that way it is a small number, not sure what I was thinking earlier lOL
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We don’t see many of those up North, but they do look good although it always amazes me they manage to stay water tight!
They are certainly doing a good job up those ladders - I do t imagine it’s a skill that the youth is eager to learn but it would be a shame to see the tradition die out.
Superb post thank you for sharing these fantastic photos, it’s always amazing seeing little slices of our English heritage.
#thealliance #witness
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With so few people capable of doing this kind of work any young person with two brain cells you would think would be jumping into this trade?
When they finish the roof I'll get a few more shots of the finished result. You are right about not being many thatch roofs up north. I didn't see any in Cumbria just loads of old slate roofs which have a charm of their own.
I'll do more of these types of posts as I find them really interesting and I'm doing some videos of these old crafts. I like watching people work lol