Wiltshire is one of England’s most richly thatched counties. Drive through almost any downland village between Marlborough and Salisbury and you will find thatched roofs — some freshly laid in bright water reed, others darkened with age, their ridges decorated with the individual signatures of the thatchers who built them. After more than 30 years working on roofs across the county, I know Wiltshire’s thatching stock better than most.
This guide covers the key things you need to know about thatching in Wiltshire — the villages, the materials, planning considerations, and how to approach getting work done on your property.
Wiltshire’s Thatching Heritage
Wiltshire has been thatched for thousands of years. The county’s landscape made it natural: the chalk downlands produced wheat and barley, and their straw provided the raw material for roofs long before imported water reed became common. Many of the farmhouses and cottages built across the Vale of Pewsey, the Kennet Valley and the Marlborough Downs in the 17th and 18th centuries were thatched in long straw, and a significant number of those roofs — repaired and relaid many times over — are still standing today.
Wiltshire has more than 25,000 listed buildings, a very high concentration for an English county of its size. A large proportion of those include thatched roofs, making the county one of the most active areas for traditional roofing work in the south of England.
Wiltshire’s Most Notable Thatched Villages
The county has an exceptional number of villages with significant concentrations of thatched properties:
Vale of Pewsey — The stretch of villages running along the foot of the Pewsey Downs is probably Wiltshire’s richest area for thatching. Great Bedwyn, Burbage, Pewsey, Alton Barnes, Alton Priors, East Kennett and Mildenhall all have clusters of thatched farmhouses and cottages. Much of this stock was built between 1650 and 1800 and has been thatched continuously since.
Marlborough and the Kennet Valley — Aldbourne, Ramsbury, Ogbourne St George and the villages along the Kennet are well-supplied with thatched properties, many of them on chalk or sarsen stone foundations. These tend to be older properties where planning and listed building considerations are particularly relevant.
North Wiltshire — Lacock, one of the best-preserved medieval villages in England and a National Trust property, is almost entirely thatched. Castle Combe, Biddestone and the villages of the Cotswold fringe to the west of Chippenham also have strong thatching traditions, though the building style shifts here — more Cotswold stone than brick and flint.
Salisbury Plain fringes — Amesbury, Larkhill and the villages around the Plain have fewer thatched properties but some of the oldest and most challenging roofs in the county, often on long-established farmsteads where the roof profile has changed little in centuries.
Materials Used in Wiltshire
The choice of material matters — not just aesthetically but practically and from a planning perspective.
Water reed is now the most commonly specified material for new thatching work across Wiltshire. It is durable, lasting 25–40 years on a well-maintained roof, and gives a clean, precise finish. Most water reed used in Wiltshire today is sourced from East Anglia or imported from Eastern Europe — the county’s own reed beds are too limited to supply the trade at scale.
Long straw was the dominant material historically in Wiltshire and is still used on some properties, particularly where a listed building consent specifies it to match the existing or historical character of the roof. Long straw gives a softer, more rounded appearance with a distinctively different ridge line. It typically lasts 15–25 years.
Combed wheat reed (sometimes called Devon reed) is a middle ground — processed differently from long straw but derived from wheat, it gives a neater finish than long straw and lasts 25–35 years. It is often used in Wiltshire where planning consent requires a straw-based material but longevity is a priority.
On any given property, I will advise on which material is appropriate based on what is already there, what the planning authority requires, and what will give the best result long-term.
Listed Buildings and Planning Permission
In Wiltshire, a high proportion of thatched properties are listed — many at Grade II, some at Grade II* or Grade I. If your property is listed, you will need listed building consent before changing the thatching material, altering the ridge design, or making any significant changes to the roof profile.
In practice, this means:
- You cannot switch from long straw to water reed (or vice versa) without consent if the building is listed
- Ridge designs are often specified in the consent — some properties have traditional ridge styles that must be maintained
- Even like-for-like repairs on a listed building can require consent depending on the scope
Wiltshire Council’s Historic Environment team handles listed building consents. In my experience, they are generally reasonable to deal with if approached early and with clear information about what is proposed. I am happy to assist clients navigate this process and have worked with the planning authority on a number of Wiltshire properties over the years.
If you are unsure whether your property is listed, the Historic England national register is searchable online.
How to Find a Qualified Thatcher in Wiltshire
The most important thing to look for is membership of a recognised professional association. The main body in this area is the Oxford, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire Master Thatchers Association, which covers Wiltshire and the surrounding counties. Members are assessed against quality standards and must carry appropriate public liability insurance.
Ask any thatcher you approach for:
- Proof of public liability insurance
- Association membership details
- References from recent local work
- A written quotation that specifies materials, workmanship and timescale
Be cautious of very low quotes — thatching is skilled, time-intensive work and a price that seems too good to be true usually means corners are being cut, either on materials or on the labour involved.
I have been a member of the Association since 2002 and won the Association’s award in 2015. If you have a property in Wiltshire and would like an honest assessment of what your roof needs, I am always happy to visit and give you a free, no-obligation quote. Get in touch here.