Historical Roofs, re-thatching of a traditional Welsh longhouse in Carmarthenshire, west Wales.

Traditional Welsh longhouse in Carmarthenshire.
Click on left/right of images to scroll through gallery.

The view after the fire, some perlins needed replacing also one scalfed crook beam

The false wall top can bee seen on the gable (the dark area). This was added when tin was put on and must be removed so as to return to the original geometry. When applying tin the thatch on the eaves and gables was often pulled out and a false wall built up to meet the under side of the tin - as can be seen here with a thin pile of stones balanced on the outer edge of the wall. When I find this arrangement I take the stones away again so the cottage will have the snug proportions it started life with.

A new scalfed crook beam from a local forest being shaped with a side axe to the shape of the original that I used as a pattern.

The bottom of the replaced scalfed crook member being fitted to the existing elbow timber with big oak pegs.

The original opposite crook member was in place throughout the repair operation and the new timber was carefully introduced so as to be able to use the original collar tie, which meant all the holes needed to align which was quite tricky as it was very heavy.

The supports for the wattle chimney where badly damaged so here the new timbers are in place and wattaling can now happen. Note the small upright with a v which catches the end of the ridge pole as it cannot extend in to the chimney flu as this is a fully functional chimney.

Wattling and ridge beam in place with the beginning of split oak rafters being offered up.

Dafydd fixing the top of the gable with lime mortar showing cleft or split oak rafters in place.

Splitting oak trunks to use as rafters, referred to as riven or cleft oak, most rafters in place here with special mouse proof plastic trunking to house electric cables so they will be hidden from view. Some bracken can be seen which was used in the basecoat.

Wall top repairs with lime mortar and some new perlins in place, Dafydd my apprentice at the wall and Wilm my son standing by the chimney we built together.

Wattle chimney hood having new daub plaster.

A lime finish on the chimney hood and view of the underside of the roof of the cottage, some straw rope can be seen stored for later use.

The rafters on the left where undamaged so reused, new oak on the right all with a gorse layer used as a basecoat.

A flexible fire preventative layer of thermaflease sheeps wool was introduced over the gorse, then a breathable membrane over this with oat straw applied over everything, creating a suitable base coat to fix the weathering coat to.

An old variety of organic straw grown in mid Wales was used.

Thatching in progress .

The main body of the coat work almost done.

Creating a rolled gable with combed wheat straw

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Dafydd and Wilm making straw rope. We made around 6,000 feet which was made in to two ply and took around a month to create. We used the lane next to the cottage for our ropewalk as this was used originally.

A close up of newly plied straw rope.

Straw rope used to hold the ridge in place. We also used hazel sticks underneath this to add strength.

Straw rope was used originally on the cowshed end of the property as a support to the basecoat and we wanted to recreate what our ancestors would recognise. So no cheep imports for us, we made the rope and here are starting to fit it. Sometimes this arrangement was used instead of rafters, we now know a lot more about this historic technique which will be covered in depth with a forthcoming publication. If you know of information relevant and would like it to be included then please contact me.

Daub was applied to the wall tops in order to have something to fix the first layers to.

Looking from inside, the gorse traditionally applied to wall tops to inhibit rodents can be seen.

A clear view from inside the cowshed showing the stretched two ply hand made straw rope basecoat support with occasional straw bonds around the perlins which hold the gorse basecoat in place.

Stuff thatching was traditionally used and here I have reproduced this technique as an experiment. Small hand fulls of straw have a knot tied in them, then they are stuffed in to the gorse base coat with subsequent layers applied higher up the roof in order to create a waterproof layer. This method was used throughout Wales perhaps from the Neolithic period until between the wars - quite a long period. No longer used today as concerns about how long it will last prohibits use other than for experimental archaeology. 'the combed wheat straw method used on the main body of the roof survived in south Wales until recently as it lasted longer and made this type of roof more economical, nearly all roofs today in Wales have Chinese water reed on them and our amazing welsh vernacular has become a thing of the past.

Ridging the cowshed roof.

Stuff thatching in the foreground and combed straw in the background, two traditional welsh techniques on the same building. Lovely!

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