​

Bed

A prepared heap of long straw, sedge or rye, from which a yealm is drawn.

​

Binders

See "sways".

​

Bottle

A yealm of straw tied at the small end, used for setting eaves and gables.

 

Broaches

See "spars".

​

Brow Course

The first course of reed; after the eave is set in. Determines the pitch of the roof.

​

Bunch/Bundle

A unit of water reed approximately 24" (600mm) or continental at 39" (1m) in circumference at the tie.

​

Butt

The lower end of a bundle of straw or reed.

​

Butting

Dressing the butt ends by dropping onto a hard, clean surface.

​

Casing

To rethatch, with any material, over the existing thatch after it has been stripped to a reasonable level and refastened to the rafters.

​

Course

A horizontal layer of reed or straw thatch.

​

Crooks

Made from quarter inch or three eighths iron rod varies from 8" to 12" in length. Pointed at one end, with a forged right angle hook on the other to hold the sway. Driven into the rafters to hold the sway.

​

Cross Rods

Hazel rods split and used for ornamentation between liggers.

​

Face

The surface of the roof.

​

Fleeking

A woven mat of water reed used as an alternative to battens in exposed rafter situations; rarely used now.

​

Flashing

Cement or lead sheeting fixed over the thatch and onto brickwork at the chimney or wall abutments.

​

Gable

FlueThe finished edge of the thatch hanging over the gable end.

​

Gable Top

A yealm of ridging material without pronounced taper at either end forming the topmost part of the ridge.

​

Gadd

Length of hazel nut wood before splitting.

​

Goosenecks

See "spars".

​

Hooks

See "crooks".

​

L Pins

See "crooks".

​

Ledgers

See "sways".

​

Liggers

Rods of split hazel (4' to 5') used on the outside surface of ridges, and in the case of long straw, on eaves and gables.

​

Long Straw

Threshed wheat straw prepared by hand.

​

Pattern Pieces

See "cross rods".

​

Nib

Portion of the roof beside window or chimney.

​

Pinnacle

A raised end of a ridge, gable, or top point of a hip.

​

Prickers

See "spars".

​

Ridge

Capping on topmost part of roof, various finishes.

​

Roll Dolly

Sausage-like roll(s) of reed or straw. 4" to 8" in diameter and of any suitable length, used to build up the ridge to a sharp apex prior to capping.

​

Rye Straw

Threshed and used for ridging.

​

Saddle

The junction of a ridge with a main coat.

​

Sedge

Used for capping a water reed roof.

​

Skirt

The side courses of a ridge thickened at the butt when used as a cut pattern roof.

​

Spars

Split hazel rods 30" pointed at each end, and twisted in the center into a 'staple' shape and used to fix 1/2 coat work or the liggers on the ridge.

​

Spikes

See "crooks".

​

Spits

See "spars".

​

Sways

Hazel rods or 1/4" steel rod used to secure thatch to the rafters in the roof. The sways are fixed by stitching with tarred cord or by hooks driven into the rafters at intervals dictated by the length of the materials to be fixed. These are coverd by each succeeding course.

​

Sweep

The forming of a valley.

​

Tarred Cord

Strong cord treated with Stockholm tar. Synthetics are also used but tying is rare as a permanent fixture. When used the sway is tied to the rafter or batten or no sway is used.

​

Twisters

See "spars".

​

Verge Barge

See "gable flue".

​

Wadd

Small bundle of material to continue the action of the tilting.

​

Yealm

A prepared drawn layer of long straw or sedge. 14" to 18" wide. 4" thick. 1/2 Coat.

​

​

​