An estimated 60,000 thatched homes are scattered across the UK, along with around 800 master thatchers. To the untrained eye, one thatched roof may look similar to the next, but a key point of distinction is the material used. Until the mid-20th century, wheat was the main thatching material used in England – a byproduct of farming, it was used on almost all homes with thatched roofs (except those close to where water reed grows naturally, such as the Norfolk Broads and the Somerset Levels). Today, the more durable water reed is increasingly used on thatched roofs across the country, although it is often imported from overseas.
Tom uses both wheat and water reed in his work; as natural materials, they are an “ephemeral substance” that starts to change and slowly break down as soon as they are laid. Tom explains that the “slow, laborious … inconvenient, messy” nature of his craft is part of its appeal, and is “the opposite of so much else in modern life”. With his work comes a strong sense of connection to the past and the landscape that surrounds him, and the opportunity to preserve an ancient practice for years to come.
Further Reading
Tom’s book, On the Roof: A Thatcher’s Journey (published by Profile Books) is available to buy from bookshop.org
Follow Tom on Instagram; tomallanthatching.co.uk
