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New Roof 3 |
Roger Evans puts the final touches to the gable prior to the Ridge being started
The roof had to be stripped down to facilitate some repairs to the timber frame of the building itself. A new oak purlin (one of three), is put in place using time honoured tools and centuries of traditional craftsmanship!!!! Excavating the roof right back to the original base coat confirmed the fact that the house had been originally thatched with straw and not Norfolk reed as had previously been thought. The straw recovered has been sent away for analysis. This will determine the variety of grain used and possibly give us the answer as to exactly when the house was originally thatched for the first time.
(L) Adding a patch of Norfolk reed to fill in the holes caused by fitting the new purlins. (C) The reed is butted right up against the ridge roll before.. (R) ..both the reed infill and the ridge roll can be pinned together.
(L) A head for heights is an advantage. (R) With the Western gable completed, the difficult task of feathering and fanning round the corner takes place.
It was quite a surprise to see just how deep the new thatch actually is.