Image courtesy of English Heritage
English Heritage in conjunction with the East Anglia (EA) Branch of the IHBC and the Conservation of Traditional Thatch Group (CoTTG) is holding a one-day seminar on the conservation of traditional thatch at Cressing Temple, Essex on 15 October, offering subsidies to non-IHBC local authority staff accompanying IHBC members.
David Andrews, EA Branch representative on IHBC Council, said: ‘’Nothing can guarantee an attractive building more than a thatch roof. But thatch reflects regional styles and is far from uniform in the materials used and how they are treated.’
‘This study day will be a valuable opportunity for planners, conservation officers and others to get a clearer picture of these issues, with any IHBC member able to extend their substantial discount to an identified local authority officer who is not an IHBC member, at least as yet! ‘
Alison Henry Senior Architectural Conservator at English Heritage said: ‘Thatch is a surprisingly complex issue and it can be hard for building owners and conservation professionals to understand the sometimes confusing information emanating from different sources!’
‘Although in the past there have been a number of thatch training days that explore traditional methods and materials, the added benefit of this course will be its focus on dealing with the care and repair of historic thatched buildings within the context of the National Planning Policy Framework. There will also be an update on material supply and the latest on new research into the causes of fire in thatched buildings.’
The event is being held at Cressing Temple in Essex on 15 October 2014. The presentations will cover the archaeological and documentary evidence contributing to our understanding of historic thatch and thatching in England, the contribution that historic thatch makes to the significance of historic buildings, the factors contributing to the deterioration of thatch, repair of traditional thatch, and the effect of the introduction of new methods and materials on the authenticity of historic thatched buildings.
Part of the day will be devoted to the issues relating to applications for listed building consent for re-thatching of listed buildings. There will also be an update on the current English Heritage research into the causes of fires in thatched buildings.
Discounts are being offered for IHBC members. IHBC members may also reserve an additional place at the discounted rate for a local authority colleague (conservation officer, planner, building control officer or elected member) who is not an IHBC member.
For more information on the event consult http://ihbconline.co.uk/thatch/
