Thatching is a traditional form of roofing using straw, grasses and reeds that can be traced as far back as the Bronze Age in Britain. Thatch is very light, which makes it the ideal material to roof houses built with wattle and daub walls.

Before modern transport, builders would use materials that could be found locally, leading to regional variations in thatching materials. For example, wheat straw was common in southern England, reeds in East Anglia and heather in northern England and Scotland.

Mr W King, Thatcher, Wombleton: BU04805

Thatching is a highly skilled craft. Firstly, the thatch is tied into bundles and is pegged to the roof beams. Then a second layer is added, followed by a final layer over the most exposed ridge of the roof. Traditionally the ridge is than finished with an ornament, sometimes known as a ’corn dolly’. This dates back to the times when hay stacks would be temporarily thatched to protect them from the elements, a corn dolly was added to ward off birds and evil spirits!