Precious crafts of thatching and violin-making are under threat | Letters

Graham Cook points to shared styles of thatching across England and Wales, and John Dilworth highlights two recent setbacks for violin-making Your article on the sad decline in some British crafts (Welsh thatching and ship figurehead carving added to UK crafts red list, 13 May) noted that “thatched roofs in Wales are becoming ‘more similar to English styles of thatch’. The Welsh style is different, with a rounder outside appearance.” There is in fact no such thing as “Welsh” thatching, or “English” come to that. In both the north and south of Wales, the craft has long shared styles with its English neighbours. Angular work in the north is also found in Lancashire and Cheshire, while rounded thatch in combed cereal straw in the very south is identical to that found in Somerset, Devon and Cornwall. This has been the case for at least two centuries.The type of thatch seen in the photo published online with your article was common in south-west Wales, but the “rolled gable” feature can be still found from Northamptonshire to Dumfries. The original straw roping on these Welsh roofs was also seen in Ireland, along with the decorative “rope top” ridging, once widespread throughout Wales. In doing research for my website, thatchinginfo.com, I realised that the craft follows no political boundaries. The various traditional styles are essentially a combination of climate and material supply, perhaps combined with some very early folk movements.Graham CookMilborne Port, Somerset Continue reading...

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