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Thatch and thatching in South Cambridgeshire

Adopted as Council Policy 2007

The purpose of our Thatch and Thatching in South Cambridgeshire 2007 document is to clarify the Council's position on the preservation and enhancement of local thatch and thatching techniques in South Cambridgeshire and to present guidance to assist with the implementation of the adopted planning policy.

Reference should also be made to the adopted South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2004 and the South Cambridgeshire Design Guide - 24th November 2005.

Background

It is generally acknowledged that thatch is a distinctive feature of the English landscape, particularly in the south and the east, and should be conserved as part of our built heritage. Thatching materials and the methods by which they are applied reflect both the broad geographic and economic character of their areas over time. The survival of regional diversity in thatching is, therefore, a central aim of conservation policy in those areas where the character can be firmly identified.

South Cambridgeshire has historically been a predominantly arable area and consequently wheat straw has been the most widely available thatching material. This material is known as "longstraw" and the extent of its use helps characterise the district.

However on the fen edge areas of the district some "water reed" has always been used. This material was particularly promoted by the Rural Industries Bureau in the first decades after the Second World War. The Bureau encouraged the use of water reed in order to stop the wide scale removal of thatched roofs following the introduction of the combine harvester, which rendered straw unusable for thatching.

In the 1970s "combed wheat reed" was introduced from the West Country and has been replacing the traditional longstraw thatch. Combed wheat reed is wheat straw but it is prepared and applied to the roof in a different manner, resulting in a crisper finish, similar to that of water reed and consequently is a change in the character and appearance from traditional longstraw thatch.

• Download Thatch and thatching in South Cambridgeshire 2007.

For more information, please contact the conservation section.