Reinstatement

Today the majority of old oak framed and clay-lump houses are now tiled, but in the past up to 90% of them would have been thatched in either long straw or reed. The pitch of the roof is the best way to tell if it was once thatched, as thatch needs a steep pitch to allow water to run off effectively. Therefore most old houses with a steep pitched roof were almost definitely thatched at some point.

The advantages of reinstating thatch are numerous, including:

• The traditional, timeless beauty that can enhance the value of the property



• The outstanding insulation properties of thatch keep heating costs down, summer heat out and provide excellent soundproofing



• The lifespan of thatch is longer than many believe it to be, in fact, it is much the same as that of a concrete tiled roof



• It is cheaper than some materials, such as clay peg (pin) tiles



• In the future grant aid may well be available for reinstatement



• Planning consent is likely to be granted to return listed buildings to thatch



• Once a house is thatched it is much less likely that planning consent will be given to neighbouring areas to build low quality housing developments