Newbury fire crews partially save burning thatch roof

Newbury Today yesterday reported that fire crews from five stations in the local area battled to save the thatched roof of an East Garston cottage on Sunday evening.

Watch manager Lee Glover, of Blue Watch at Newbury Fire Station said pumps were called at 7.18pm from Newbury, Hungerford, Swindon, Ramsbury and Wantage – around 25 firefighters – to the fire in the thatched roof of a cottage in Station Road.

“The thatch was well alight,” said Mr Glover, adding the cause was believed to be a log burner, lit for the first time yesterday.

Firefighters pulled out thatch either side of the fire, creating a break, to prevent it spreading further.

The thatch was 40 per cent damaged in the blaze.

“Normally we lose 90 per cent in a thatch fire,” added Mr Glover.

The blaze was extinguished by 11pm, when the fire fighting operation was scaled down to two pumps.

No-one was hurt.

One pump was left on watch to ensure the fire did not re-ignite and a Newbury crew inspected the fire at 7.30am today (Mon) when the incident was closed.

The roof was covered in tarpaulin sheets after the fire.

Devon workshop fire damages thatched house in Ashreighney

Firefighters were called to a blaze in the village of Ashreighney, near Chulmleigh, Devon, at about 11am on August 25.

Devon and Somerset Fire Service said that fuel in a neighbouring workshop caught fire and winds caused the conflagration to spread to the house's thatch roof.

Both the workshop and the thatched house were destroyed in the blaze.

The one person  at the property, described as being in a "quite remote location", escaped injury and fire crews were able to salvage belongings from the property.

For further details see the full story on the BBC Devon website Devon thatch fire.

Norfolk reed thatcher at work

Fascinating footage of a thatcher at work from YouTube.

Not exactly a thrilled-packed ride, but well worth a watch for lovers of thatch and thatching.

Radio blaze averted

A serious fire at a thatched property in Three Legged Cross, Dorset was narrowly averted earlier this month after fire crews promptly attended a domestic fire started when a plastic radio was left on an oven hob which was subsequently turned on by accident. Despite sustaining extensive smoke damage, the property was fortunate to be spared worse harm. 

Read the full story in the Daily Echo here.

Artist's impression only.

Latest wood burning stove and thatch incident

This is Somerset recently reported that firefighters were called to a fire at a thatched house in Muchelney near Langport earlier this month.

It was reported that "a fire engine from Martock was sent to the fire involving a wood burner at the property on Manor Lane at around 8pm on Sunday" (4 August) "Crews put out the fire and also dampened the thatched roof as a precaution.

The wood burner was moved to the outside of the house."

Read the full story here

Banbury Pub gets its thatch back

From the Banbury Observer:

THE return of three birds to the roof of Banbury’s Three Pigeons pub has marked the end of a £30,000 project to restore the town’s only thatched property.

Following the Great Fire of Banbury in 1628, one third of buildings in the town centre were destroyed and the use of thatch was banned to prevent future disasters.

The Three Pigeons, in Southam Road, was the only thatched building to survive the blaze and has since remained the only building in the town to have a straw roof.

Last Friday a six-week project to restore the roof came to an end and saw three new pigeons placed at the top of the pub, which had been missing one of its three birds for several years.

Owner Paul Laird who bought the pub with his wife Tina last year, said: “We knew the thatch needed some attention as part of the renovation works we are undertaking. It was last re-thatched 15 years ago and during an inspection some underlying issues were found which meant we needed to get the whole roof done.

“It’s the last thatched building in Banbury and we have replaced it like-for-like with the same design. The only things that have changed are the three pigeons, which are slightly different, but we thought it would be a good opportunity to get up there and return them all to the roof.

“I’m over the moon with the outcome, it looks absolutely stunning and I have had a lot of positive comments from people about how great it looks – I’m really chuffed.”

The work was undertaken by Stuart Viggers of Stuart Viggers Master Thatchers, with help from employee Samuel Turner and apprentice Stevie Jones.

Mr Viggers said: “There were three of us on site and we completed the roof with combed wheatstraw. I’m over the moon with the final result – it ranks as one of our best ever jobs.”

The £30,000 thatch restoration is part of a £550,000 renovation project being undertaken by Mr Laird to transform the building, interior and garden into a traditional English, family-friendly pub ahead of its planned opening in September.

Newmarket thatched property damaged by fire

Hot weather and conifers implicated in East Anglian thatch blaze.