Building
Village Builder
Thatcher
Village Builder
Yorkshire dales villages have a solidarity and visual
unity which has been dictated by the materials available locally. Stone
masons were content to repeat their simple methods in traditional materials
because they knew they were good and proof against the savagery of the
Northern elements.
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Bob Guy of the Reeth builders, Blenkiron
& Co. using a slater's hammer to cut a stone roof slate to size.
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The old method of fixing roof slates was with wood
pegs. Today alloy nails are used.
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Thatcher
Before stone or slate or tile, thatch was the universal
roof covering throughout Yorkshire. Sometimes on an old cottage you
may see the ghostly traces of the former type of roof. The pitch of
a thatched roof has to be much steeper to allow the rain to flow off
quickly.
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A 'spit' of hazel secures the 'yealmes' of straw and
iron bodkins stitch the straw to the frame of the roof with twine.
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Seth Eccles of Helmsley working with thatch in the
traditional way
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A thatcher carrying his materials in the traditional
way. |
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