Publications

General

• Billet, M. (2003); The Complete Guide to Living with Thatch;
• Council for Small Industries in Rural Areas (CoSIRA) (1960, reprinted 1988); The Thatcher’s Craft; Salisbury: CoSIRA; also available from http://www.hct.ac.uk/Downloads/cp_thatch.html
• Fewin, C. (2000), Thatching the 21st Century; in Building Conservation Directory 2000; pp.xx-xx.; also available from http://www.buildingconservation.com/articles/thatch/thatch.htm
• Nash, J. (1991); Thatchers and thatching; London: Batsford

History of Thatch

• Cox, J.  and Letts, J.B. (2000); Thatch: Thatching in England 1940-1994, English Heritage Research Transactions: Research and Case Studies in Architectural Conservation, 6; London: James & James
• Fearns, J. (2004); Thatch and thatching (2nd edition); Princes Risborough: Shire Albums
• Letts, J.B. (2000); Smoke Blackened Thatch: a unique source of late medieval plant remains from Southern England; London: English Heritage and The University of Reading
• Moir, J. and Letts, J.B. (1999); Thatching in England 1790-1940, English Heritage Research Transactions 5; London: James & James

Regional Thatch

• Billett, M. (2006); English thatched churches; London: Robert Hale
• Cox, J. and Thorpe, J.L. (2001); Devon Thatch; Tiverton: Devon Books

County Guidance Documents

• Broadland District Council
• Devon
• Dorset Conservation Officers Group 1996. The Dorset Thatching Report
• East Hertfordshire
• Hampshire
• New Forest
• South Northamptonshire
• South Somerset
• Ceredigion, Wales

Methods & Materials

• Angold Dr. R.R. & Sanders, M. (1998); Longevity of Thatch in elation to the Surface Properties of Straw; Final Report for the Partners in Technology Project. DoE reference CI 39/3/286
• Henry, A. (2000); Fact or Fiction; in Context; 90, pp.12-15. Click here for pdf.
• Letch, S. (2012); Ensuring supplies of suitable thatching straw; in Conservation Bulletin; 69, pp.28-29; also available at http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/publications/conservation-bulletin-69/
• Letts, J.B. (2007); Growing Straw for Thatching: a guide; The COHT (Conservation of Historic Thatch Committee)
  Read more...Read less...
  This booklet describes the characteristics of good quality thatching straw, and provides a concise guide on how to grow straw that will perform well on a roof and command a premium price from thatchers. ‘Growing Straw For Thatching’ is the first publication to bring together data and considered opinion from many sources in order to provide reliable information and guidance on all stages of the production process. Although aimed primarily at new and inexperienced growers, it will also be of interest to experienced growers as well as thatchers, home owners and conservation officers. £7.50 (inc P&P in UK Mainland Only. Overseas please email) Available from John Letts.
  
• Quantrill, K. & Letts. J. (2010); ‘Thatching with Long Straw’, in Building Conservation Directory 2010; available from www.buildingconservation.com/articles/articles.htm#thatch
• Wood, C. (2002); ‘Taking sides in the thatching controversy’; in Context; 73, pp.xx-xx; also available from www.ihbc.org.uk/context_archive/73/thatch_dir/thatch_s.htm

Maintenance, Repair & Conservation

• Brockett. P & Wright, A. (1990); The care and repair of thatched roofs; SPAB; London
• English Heritage (2000); Thatch and Thatching: a guidance note; English Heritage: London; available from http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/publications/thatch-and-thatching/

Fire

• Burgoynes (2012); Fire in Thatched Buildings; available from http://www.burgoynes.com/fires-thatched-buildings

Legislation & Planning

Building Regulations

• Building Research Establishment 1(999); Ventilating thatched roofs (BRE Good Building Guide 32); BRE: Garston
• Dorset Building Control Technical Committee (2009); Best Practice note on application of Building Regulation for Thatched buildings (The ‘Dorset Model’); available at http://www.dorsetforyou.com/dorsetmodel
• English Heritage (2010); Energy Efficiency and Historic Buildings: Application of Part L of the Building Regulations to historic and traditionally constructed buildings; English Heritage: London; available from http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/publications/energy-efficiency-historic-buildings-ptl/
• English Heritage (2010); Insulating Thatched Roofs; English Heritage: London; available from www.english-heritage.org.uk/publications/eehb-insulating-thatched-roofs/
• English Heritage (2010); Open Fires, Chimneys and Flues; English Heritage: London; available from http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/publications/eehb-open-fires-chimneys-flues/