[7.The British Thatched Roof]
The view over a valley of a tiny village with thatched roof cottages
around a church;
a drive through a narrow village street
lined with thatched cottages painted pink or white;
the sight over the rolling hills
of a pretty collection of thatched farm buildings
---these are still common sights in parts of England.
Most people will agree that the thatched roof is an essential part
of the attraction of the English countryside.
Thatching is in fact the oldest of all the building crafts
practiced in the British Isles.
Although thatch has always been used for cottage and farm buildings,
it was once used for castles and churches, too.
Thatching is a solitary craft,
which often runs in families.
The craft of thatching as it is practiced today
has changed very little since the Middle Ages.
Over 800 full-time thatchers are employed in England and Wales today,
maintaining and renewing the old roofs as well as thatching newer houses.
Many property owners choose thatch not only for its beauty
but because they know it will keep them cool in summer
and warm in winter.
In fact, if we look at developing countries,
over half the world lives under thatch,
but they all do it in different ways.
People in developing countries are often reluctant
to go back to traditional materials and would prefer modern buildings.
However,
they may lack the money to allow them to import the necessary materials.
Their temporary mud huts with thatched roofs of wild grasses
often only last six months.
Thatch which has been done the British way
lasts from twenty to sixty years,
and is an effective defense against the heat.