# / . 4 % 8 4 - ! 2 # ( 4HE THATCHING CONTROVERSY 4HE CASE OF LONG STRAW VERSUS COMBED WHEAT REED THATCHING &OLLOWING ON THE HEELS OF THE #ONTEXT ARTICLE ON THE THATCHING CONTROVERSY BY #HRIS 7OOD AND $AVID "ROCK #ONTEXT *ULY ) AM ABLE TO REPORT ON A RECENT CASE THAT WAS TAKEN TO APPEAL ! PROPOSAL TO CHANGE A LONG STRAW THATCHED ROOF ON A LISTED BUILDING TO COMBED WHEAT REED HAS BEEN DISMISSED 4HE OWNER SUBMITTED HIS APPLICATION TO +ENNET $ISTRICT #OUNCIL IN !PRIL 4HE TIMING IS NOT WITHOUT SIGNIFICANCE 4HE LOCAL AUTHORITY REFUSED LISTED BUILDING CONSENT IN -AY ON THE GROUNDS THAT THE WORKS WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE CHARACTER OF THE PROTECTED BUILDING AND WOULD WEAKEN LOCAL DISTINCTIVENESS 4HE APPLICANT IMMEDIATELY SUBMITTED AN APPEAL ARGUING THAT A NUMBER OF OTHER PROPERTIES IN THE LOCALITY HAD BEEN SPAR COATED IN COMBED WHEAT REED AND THAT THE APPOINTED THATCHER DID NOT HAVE SUPPLIES OF GOOD QUALITY LONG STRAW !LSO IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THE USE OF COMBED WHEAT REED WOULD BE MORE ECONOMICAL 4HAT THE LONG STRAW STYLE OF THATCHING HAS ITS OWN CHARACTERISTICS WHICH WOULD BE ALTERED BY THE PROPOSAL WAS NOT DISPUTED 4HE PROPERTY HAS TWO MAIN PARTS &IRST THERE IS THE ORIGINAL TIMBER FRAMED COTTAGE PARALLEL TO THE VILLAGE STREET 3ECOND THERE IS A PROJECTING CROSS WING WITH HIPPED ROOF "OTH PARTS ARE BENEATH THATCHED ROOFS LAID IN THE LONG STRAW STYLE 4HE CONDITION OF THE SOUTH FACING SLOPE OF THE CROSS WING WAS IN POOR CONDITION AND THE NEED FOR REMEDIAL WORK WAS UNDENIABLE 4HE CONDITION OF THE OTHER SLOPES HOWEVER WAS REASONABLE AND A REQUIREMENT FOR RE THATCHING WAS NOT OBVIOUS !MONG OTHER THINGS THE LOCAL AUTHORITY HAD BEEN CONCERNED THAT THE INTRODUCTION OF COMBED WHEAT REED TO ONE SLOPE WOULD RESULT IN A HYBRID APPEARANCE BUT THE APPELLANT CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS HIS INTENTION TO RE THATCH THE WHOLE OF BOTH MAIN ROOFS 4HE LOCAL AUTHORITY DREW ATTENTION TO ITS POLICY LEAFLET FIRST PUBLISHED IN BEFORE %NGLISH (ERITAGE S MORE RECENT PUBLICATIONS 4HIS EXPLAINS THAT THE TRADITIONAL THATCHING MATERIAL IN THE AREA IS THE LONG STRAW METHOD /LD PHOTOGRAPHS AND CONVERSATIONS WITH ELDERLY THATCHERS WHO OPERATED IN THE AREA HAVE CONFIRMED THAT THE LONG STRAW STYLE WAS GENERALLY UNIVERSAL UNTIL THE SECOND HALF OF THE TH CENTURY (OWEVER IT IS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT DURING THE S LONG BEFORE VERNACULAR BUILDINGS RECEIVED STATUTORY PROTECTION THE COMBED WHEAT REED STYLE TOOK A STRONG HOLD 4HE NUMBER OF LONG STRAW ROOFS DECLINED AND THERE WAS CONCERN THAT THE NUMBER OF REMAINING CASES WAS REACHING A CRITICAL LEVEL 4HIS INFLUENCED THE AUTHORITY TO ADOPT A PROTECTIVE STANCE 5NLESS SURVIVING LONG STRAW ROOFS WERE CONSERVED WHO WOULD MAINTAIN THE THRESHING MACHINES 7HO WOULD BOTHER TO TRAIN UP AS A LONG STRAW THATCHER 4HE COUNCIL S POLICY HOWEVER HAS NOT SOUGHT TO TURN BACK THE CLOCK MERELY TO MAINTAIN LONG STRAW ROOFS WHERE THEY SURVIVE .EVERTHELESS IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT IN RECENT YEARS THERE HAS BEEN A STEADY TRICKLE OF ROOFS RESTORED BACK TO THEIR ORIGINAL LONG STRAW APPEARANCE INCLUDING A .ATIONAL 4RUST PROJECT AT THE 'REAT "ARN IN !VEBURY !CCORDING TO THE LOCAL AUTHORITY S RECORDS OF THE LISTED BUILDINGS IN THE AREA HAVE A THATCHED ROOF "Y THE EARLY S THE PROPORTION OF ROOFS THATCHED IN THE LONG STRAW STYLE HAD DIPPED TO AROUND PER CENT OF ALL THATCHED ROOFS IN THE AREA 4HE NUMBER OF SURVIVING LONG STRAW ROOFS IS CURRENTLY ABOUT PER CENT 4HE APPELLANT ARGUED THAT THIS LOW PROPORTION WAS A REASON TO ACCEDE TO HIS REQUEST 4HE LOCAL AUTHORITY CONTENDED THAT IT WAS A COMPELLING REASON TO PROTECT COMPARATIVELY RARE SURVIVING EXAMPLES !PPEAL PROPERTY FROM THE VILLAGE STREET *ANUARY
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