Mud Cottage – Where the Grass is Always Greener

A Thatch in Time

Finally decided what I’m doing with the thatch – it has taken so long!  I first met with Joe Leonard, thatcher from Longford more than a year ago and had him booked in to do the thatch in August. Since then there have been discussions about the type of thatching (there are lots of different techniques), the form (gable, half-hip, hip roof), the material (straw, reed), the thatcher, the roof frame and whether to leave the galvanised roof on or off.   The Heritage Council have been involved and while being very helpful, have not steered me in any direction. This made things a bit more confusing for me as the more options I have, the longer it takes to make a decision.  I met with another thatcher back in May and he was considerably more expensive than Joe but had a completely different method.  As it happens, his method doesn’t suit my cottage as the rafters are too narrow in mine and his method involves pushing large bundles of straw up through the rafters from the inside.  So, I met with Joe again with a remit from the Heritage Council to find out what type of technique he uses and whether it would work on the cottage.   Also I needed to confirm once and for all, whether the existing frame (which is very old) would support a new thatch and whether I should go with a gable roof at both ends, a hip at both ends or one of each.  So, Joe arrived down in his swanky van (he has two but only one of them has the business logo on the side) and with his son.  (Thatching appears very much to be a family business – its passed down from father to son.  Not sure if the sons are too keen on this!).   So, after a very quick perusual of the cottage and a few comments from Joe that the cottage hadn’t changed much since the last time he was down, we agreed on a number of points: 1. The existing frame is fine (and as it turns out slate or tiles are much heavier than thatch) 2. I am going to go with one gable roof (so I can keep the little window that is there) and one hip roof (which is in keeping with that end of the cottage and will protect the mud wall) 3. I will keep the galvanised roof on as it adds protection in case of fire and just means less messing about with the existing structure.   With all my faffing about, though, Joe won’t be able to get to me until next Summer.  Well at least that gives me enough time to figure out what I’m doing with everything else!

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