Posted by Ed Kiser on February 06, 2006 at 21:13:50 from 152.163.101.7 user Kisered.
Did a search for "THATCH" and found that there were references
in BS, CC, SW, PD, and in GN, but nothing in the "lake" stories.
I am not familiar with this building material, but in CC is
the reference "thatched with reeds," so perhaps that says
what that stuff is.
It puzzles me to see how a stack of reeds will keep the rain
water from entering the house. Why does not the water just
drip on through the stack of reeds? Now I can picture a
stack of hay, but to see how that manages to WATERPROOF
whatever is under it leaves me wondering.
It also strikes me as something that is very much a fire
hazard. With a chimney spouting smoke right beside that
pile of hay on the roof, there seems to be a very simple
accident waiting for some spark to float up from that
chimney and then settling on the thatch, with that whole
thing going up in flames.
It also looks like a good place for certain creatures to
build a home burrowed down into that roofing material,
with a resultant loss of at least some degree of water
proofing.
As for its wind resistance, it would seem simple for a good
wind to blow away that pile of what is essentially HAY.
One good SOUTH FLORIDA Summer thunderstorm would easily
take that whole roof away, as sometimes it happens to our
Spanish Barrel Tiles, which are a bit heavier that a pile of
straw.
I suppose the concept of selecting building material has a
lot to be determined by what materials are close at hand
to be used. The low country of the Broads has a lot of
reeds, so that is available. The Lake District has a lot
of rock, as well as slate, so buildings there make use
of those materials. Although there were reeds at the mouth
of the Amazon River (enough to hide a small boat in),
and in WH, Dick cut away a path through the reeds so his
sledge could go on out onto the ice, there was probably
not enough to cover a house's roof.
Today's (Sunday Feb 5) selection from the Cornwall area
shows a lot of thatched roofs. Reference:
http://www.cornwallcam.co.uk/
It shows some good examples of that style of roof especially
helpful for foreigners like myself that do not see that sort of
thing around where we live.
Here is the list of HITS on searching for "THATCH":
Ed Kiser, South Florida
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---------- BSCH8.TXT
badly needed some new thatching. The flagstaff from which
---------- BSCH9.TXT
thatched roof.
---------- CCCH11.TXT
above the old thatched gable. That was the doctor's house.
---------- CCCH13.TXT
bridge, and the ancient thatched hut beside it, and one of a
---------- CCCH16.TXT
house. The golden bream above the thatched roof sent him
nest in the thatch. Tom poled the Titmouse quietly out of the
---------- CCCH19.TXT
reed-thatching, was still swimming merrily north-west.
---------- CCCH2.TXT
thatched roof. I remember my brother pointing it out to
---------- CCCH3.TXT
a little old house with a roof thatched with reeds, and a
---------- GNCH24.TXT
sounding close at hand. Before them were the low thatched cottages
was opening the door of a thatched building without windows, that
A little light came through holes in the thatching of the roof and, as
---------- GNCH25.TXT
the Gaels standing beside the closed door of a thatched building,
---------- GNCH5.TXT
They were looking at a group of low thatched buildings, cottages,
their rough thatched roofs, the thatching held down by ropes weighted
---------- PDCH1.TXT
reeds for thatching that the sail would hardly clear them. But he had
---------- SWCH14.TXT
wicket gate in it, and beyond it a thatched cottage, a very
---------- SWCH23.TXT
stubble fields, the thatched roofs of cottages and a line of tall
---------- SWCH24.TXT
and thatched cottages came to an end, there were houses on
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