Thatch crisis
Thatch crisis
as imports are taking over…
All is not well under the chocolate box roofs of Old England.
Straws in the wind point to a "crisis" about to break
over the different types of thatch. Tom Montgomery
takes a look at what is going up on the roof
MANY materials once adorned picturesque country cottages. Now only three prevail. Water reed, harvested from specially maintained beds, long straw obtained from threshed wheat grown specifically for thatching and the confusingly named wheat reed, a straw thats been combed.
Each thatch is traditional to different parts of England. Water reed dominated in Norfolk, combed wheat reed in the south-west and long straw in the rest of the country. What is worrying conservationists like David Brock, historic buildings inspector for English Heritage, is that diversity and character are being lost because water reed is becoming too dominant.
"Long straw has largely gone from at least four counties in the last 30 years. If we are not careful there could be a wholesale takeover by water reed," he said.
This would be a tragedy because for many, long straw has the edge when it comes to character and attractiveness in thatch. A newly completed roof is a golden delight. By contrast water reed has a flatter, less rustic appearance, though it is a matter of choice.
The Rural Industries Bureau stimulated the production and employment of water reed after the war and the use of nitrates in the 1970s delivered straw another blow by shortening its life. Latterly water reed has been aggressively marketed as a "superior product" and is readily obtained. "Seventy five per cent of what is used is imported. It comes in containers from the Danube," said Mr Brock.
* Crucial role
He sees farmers playing a crucial role in the fight to maintain straw roofs. They could improve supplies by growing the varieties needed nearer the demand. "Its a good niche market worth, I believe, some £8m a year. More growers would save thatchers having to travel long distances for their material."
Chris Smart, a 28-year-old thatcher based at Hovingham, near Malton, buys his straw in the south-west of the country. Bad harvests in the last two summers have made supplies difficult but it didnt stop him re-thatching the 14C Star Inn at Harome, near Helmsley, in the traditional material earlier this year. It has become his showpiece project.
He served a six-year apprenticeship but sometimes has to supplement his work in North Yorkshire, where there are only about 50 thatched buildings, with jobs in other parts.
Chris says that some thatchers have been importing rye straw to make up for the shortage. It is an innovation and he isnt sure about its durability. "Conservation officers will have to accept water reed because if the roof is leaking and you cant get straw they can only back down," he said.
It is an argument that does not wash with David Brock. "Planners dont know enough about thatch. There is a lot of ignorance and few thatchers are willing to enlighten them. Getting independent advice is difficult. Changing the thatch on a historic building alters its character and needs local authority consent. At that point the onus is on the thatchers. They ought to have to justify what they are doing."
* Tougher action
English Heritage believes the problem can only be addressed by getting tougher. Expert help is slowly being organised, bolstered by a guidance note it is publishing. Ideally it would like to see the fragmented thatching industry represented by a single body and more scientific and technical research into the subject.
At present home owners are gullible about the supposed virtues of water reed. It is claimed to have a 60-year life, double that of long straw and combed wheat reed. This is challenged by Mr Brock who says it is an unscientific generalisation based on the reed thatches of Norfolk, a dry county. He doubts if such longevity would be achieved in wetter parts, like Devon.
Two old, tall varieties are on the UK National Lists of Crops. Mr Brock believes there are other pockets of more ancient types being cultivated round the country. It is illegal to sell them, but not to grow them and the farmers probably do their own deals with thatchers.
* More available
He would like to see these varieties brought into the fold and the seed, which can date back to the Middle Ages, made generally available. Wider and more diverse cultivation would go a long way towards easing periodic shortages. If wheat was harvested just for the straw, not the grain, he feels it should be allowed to be sown on set-aside land.
"The use of thatch chimes in with some modern preoccupations: it is an entirely renewable resource; if it is sourced in this country negligible energy is consumed getting it on to the roof; and its insulation properties far outweigh those of any other commercial roofing material," says Mr Brock.
New homes are now being built with thatched roofs but, significantly, they are of water reed not straw.
To help him in his fight to retain straw roofs David Brock would like to know about the economics and problems of growing thatching straw. If anyone can assist please telephone 01483-306448.
Des res: A pretty thatched cottage in Hampshire.