In the traditional villages in the south of England, there are always a few houses with thatched roofs, which greatly add points to the appearance of the village. In a grassy rural setting, with flowers swaying in the breeze and ducks quacking on the edge of the village green, these thatched cottages are the centerpiece of a postcard-like setting! Houses with thatched roofs are highly sought after in the market today as they symbolize wealth and nobility. The British love tradition, and a house with a thatched roof is the purest link between tradition and reality.

In fact, in the past, thatched roofs were not a symbol of wealth. Houses with thatched roofs were common until about 150 years ago, since thatch was the only roofing material at the time. Later, with the development of canals, slates could be transported more easily across the country, and many houses were roofed with Welsh slates. By the early 20th century, living in thatched huts became a sign of poverty!

Historically, thatched roofs were popular throughout Europe, but due to the British love of keeping the traditional. Therefore, thatched roof houses are more common in Britain today than in other countries. Amazingly, even today, thatching is a practical skill, with more than 1,000 professional refinishers still practicing this ancient craft. The thatched roof is made of reeds and other natural plants cut into sections and dried to form waterproof materials. When using special technology to bind them tightly together, the roof with a thickness of about 30 cm can not only resist wind and rain, but also very attractive. This type of thatched roof is particularly strong because the thatch on the roof is either fastened to the existing old roof with wooden nails, or directly to the wooden frame of the roof with steel nails and hibiscus.

In fact, houses with Synthetic thatch roofing are warm in winter and cool in summer, and the sound insulation is particularly good. Wheat straw is used for most thatching in the UK, and it is best to use older varieties because they grow taller and the straw is stronger and more durable. These plants can be grown locally, eliminating the need for long-distance domestic transportation, which is also beneficial to the environment. The downside of a thatched roof is that it needs to be replaced every 5 years or so if not maintained properly and can be expensive – as much as £30,000. So, you could consider using synthetic reed thatch or straw thatch from Beatles Co., and also our accessories of the eave thatch panel for your English style cottages! Eave thatch roof panel could make the artificial thatch roof looks very thick, it is so close to the UK style cottage thatch roofing!

Almost every village in southern England has thatched cottages. There are also some further north, but the cold and wet weather in the north has caused many thatched owners to move to stone-roofed houses with better rain protection. The Cotswolds, an hour and a half away from London, are a great choice if you want a postcard-like view of thatched cottages. Just don't forget to bring your camera!