About Thatch

Long straw is employed throughout East Anglia. The varieties grown are used only for thatching: modern varieties are too short. The straw is cut and dried in the field and then threshed to remove the grain – both labour intensive tasks. It is then tied into yealms – basically large straw tiles – and placed on the roof. Long straw roofs have a 'softer' appearance than roofs of reed and combed wheat reed.

 

Water reed is often found on buildings near the coast and close to reed beds, such as those in the The Fens in West Norfolk. The reed is cut, dried and sorted into bundles – the only preparation required before it is placed on the roof.

Combed wheat reed is found mainly in the West Country – Devon, Dorset and Cornwall. It is the same as long straw but has been passed through a comber on the threshing machine: this sorts and cleans the straw, enabling it to be used in a similar way to reed.

Thatch has many advantages; in particular it is an excellent insulation material – keeping heating costs down, saving energy and reducing pollution. It also keeps houses cool in summer and has great soundproofing qualities.