Thatching, in the Counties of Northern Wales
The six shires of; Anglesey, Caernarfon, Denbigh, Flint, Merioneth and Montgomery
Although culturally separate, from their English neighbours, for a good deal of their history; these counties share much of the Northern thatching tradition with them. But also have some thatching methods, used throughout the rest of Wales….
As is mentioned in the History section; a possible reason for these shared Northern traditions, was the large influx of conscripted English craftsmen. Who built and thatched, medieval new towns and castles, in this area, using their own native working methods.
The locals took little part, in constructing the invader’s new world but may have had to follow the imported style. When it was realised that less skill, time and money were involved, with some of these Northern thatching methods. Turf ridges, boarded gables; and the fast stobbing method, all lessen the cost of thatching. A similar spread of the Northern thatching style, occurred in Scotland, two hundred years ago, when the rich and powerful decided on a change…
A century old Montgomeryshire pub in Newtown… Sadly the ‘Checkers Inn’ is long gone. But this old photo shows some Northern style boarded gables, ending some angular, long straw thatch. And an ever popular, rope top ridge. Newtown itself being one of the English King Edward’s urban creations. In this case, sub contracted to one Roger de Montgomerie; who founded it in the thirteenth century. Probably using English labour, to construct and thatch his new development. .
A century ago, Charles Innocent visited the Caernarfon area. He noted long straw and: ‘reeds’, being tied onto roof timbers, covered with wattle hurdles. Mr Innocent’s researches were however hampered, by a language problem. The Sheffield architect’s Welsh, being only slightly worse, than the local thatcher’s English… A Mr Evans in his Agricultural Report, noted rushes being used here, a century or so before in 1798. Straw rope was used to tie these materials on. This rope found another extensive use, as a outside fixing for rick thatching. This area’s thatchers also widely created, attractive rope top ridges, to both ricks and houses. As did those in the rest of Wales.
Of all the areas in Britain, there should be less thatch here than anywhere. The products of the slate quarries of North Wales, did more to hasten the craft’s decline in Britain; than any other factor. But thatching has a habit of surviving and a scattering of roofs still remain. Now, mainly coated in water reed, many with ornate ridges…
A rare survivor … At Church Bay on Anglesey is the restored cottage at Swtan, now a charming museum. Earlier images, from the 1950’s, show the last thatches here having a rough straw coating; probably stobbed into place. But there were always enough resources hereabouts, to allow for more standard thatching practices. Copyright and thanks to Stephen Elwyn Roddick, licensed under Creative Commons.
Another Anglesey thatch, near Moelfre, no doubt a restored roof, as the thatch at Swtan was the sole survivor for quite a while… Copyright and thanks to Jeremy Bolwell, licensed under Creative Commons.
Seaside thatch… At Abersoch in Caernarfonshire, tucked away on the Llyn Peninsula. These thatched cottages survived the onslaught, of the huge slate quarries, a few miles distant; at Blaenau Ffestiniog. At least until the 1920’s, when this image was captured. Showing some of the repaired roofs, being topped with mortar.
Flintshire… The upper image shows The ‘Red Lion‘, at Hope. A scene taken, on the August Bank Holiday, of 1904. And showing a long straw roof with rolled gables and a rope top ridge. The lower right hand image is of another pub, The Old Tavern Inn, near Mostyn. The Red lion has been replaced by another of the same name; the Old Tavern is still in place. The lower left hand photo shows a roped top ridged house, at Maes Hafn near Mold, around 1910; a similar roof to the old Red Lion…
New Ridge…’The Llindir Inn‘, in Denbighshire; claims to be oldest pub in North Wales.
On the lower left. The ‘Horse and Jockey‘, in the heart of Wrexham, around 1950. This pub started life as a hall house, in the sixteenth century. Thatched and still in business. Further north, still in Denbighshire is the small cottage, at Rhuddlan, overlooked by the castle…
Restored Denbigh thatch… At Ruthin. A cruck framed hall house, from the sixteenth century.
Denbigh Cottages… around 1900. The left cottage lay next to Nant Water Mill, showing some squarish long straw thatch. The idyllic scene on the right lay at Nany-y-Hynon, near Colwyn Bay…
Longhouse… A renovated specimen. At Coed-y-Foel, in Denbighshire. Dating from the Tudor period. With a new roof of water reed.
Edwardian, Montgomeryshire thatch… Left at Newtown and a boarded gabled roof at Welshpool. Showing thatch, similar to neighbouring Shropshire…
Finally, yet another pub…
