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Abstract
This thesis is about thatching. The aim is to analyse the history and technology of the craft and thus to produce a theoretical model of optimum thatching practice. This model is then used as the basis of an assessment of the hypothesis that thatch is a potentially important building material. The thesis commences with a broad introduction to the subject, indicating the extent of thatch use around the world, and looking at the reasons why and how it is used in different countries. Then, through a study of the history of the declining use of thatch in N.W. Europe, it indicates the key transition stages in thatch's progression from its vernacular role to its current modern role in the building industry. The first part of the thesis concludes with `a state of the art' analysis of the craft in England, with comparisons drawn from Holland and Denmark. The second part looks at traditional and current practices around the world, and then describes experiments and project work carried out in Sudan. The objective here was to see whether the lessons learnt through centuries of vernacular development in Europe could be used as a model for thatch upgrading. The conclusion was that thatch could be an increasingly important building resource, both in N. Europe and in developing countries. However, its role is limited, primarily by its combustibility, but also by popular and professional misconceptions about its potential value as a durable roofing material. (DX83103)