Thatcher Discovers New Trend

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Furlong Thatcher Discovers New Trend

Thatcher Simon Denny and Furlong Morris Dancers from three counties.

Thatcher Simon Denney was demonstrating his craft in the Furlong Centre Ringwood on Saturday as part of the Centre' summer entertainment held on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Simon (33) said: "There is a trend towards having more new houses roofed with thatching, I am inundated with work and half of it is to thatch new houses. People have discovered that thatch adds value to their property, particularly if the house would once have been thatched and had been converted to tiles. Also housing developers like to have at least a couple of houses thatched to give a new estate a more established appearance."

To thatch a three bedroom house costs about Ł9000 and it lasts for 25 to 35 years, but the ridge needs to be attended to every 10 to 15 years.

Thatchers have always used the same tools. Simon said : "I will be thatching a house which is 600 years old and using similar tools to the ones used by the original thatcher. They are the leggit, mallets, and steel hooks. Nothing in our trade has changed much. There are basically two kinds of thatching, the dumpy chocolate box look which is called "Combed Wheat Reed" which goes on top of original thatch and so the roof gets chunkier every time it is done. Then there is the "Water Reed" which goes straight on to the roof timbers of new houses. The main advantage of having thatch over tiles apart from the appearance, is the insulation factor. Thatched houses are always very cool in summer and warm in winter."

Simon lives in Denmead Road, Bournemouth, but was brought up in Bransgore where he liked to watch the thatchers at work. He said "when I was a lad I always wanted to be a thatcher, I thought it was very artistic and looked fun. Seventeen years ago I joined a firm of Ringwood thatchers to learn my trade and then I went to Somerset. I can make each roof unique with a different pattern and I can add animal embellishments in thatch like peacocks, pheasants, owls and even cats. I can always recognise a house I have done myself even though I work all year round and do about 15 houses a year."

Simon can be seen demonstrating his craft again in the Furlong Centre in September. Other people demonstrating crafts every Wednesday and Saturday in the summer are Geoff Knott the wood turner, Peter Bond the hurdle maker and Maggie Frampton the potter. There are also art exhibitions, live music, donkeys, Punch and Judy, and have-a-go painting on glass and silk.

22 July 2000

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