Ben Collyns Thatching offers a fully comprehensive service covering the South West with over 15 years of experience.
As proud members of the National Society of Master Thatchers and The Guild of Master Craftsmen, Ben Collyns Thatching not only offers a unique and in-depth source of knowledge but also offers exceptional customer service and satisfaction.
Services
Combed Wheat & Water Reed Specialist
Ben Collyns Thatching offers a dedicated service providing high quality craftsmanship with a conscientious approach to traditional techniques and regional variations of thatched buildings.
Ben Collyns Thatching offers full re-thatches, all styles of ridging, patching and repairs, carpentry, design and build, property maintenance, insurance condition surveys.
Ben is happy to discuss any customer requirements and offer specialist advice, and work with local authorities to produce appropriate results for a property. Ben aims to reflect his passion into each and every project he undertakes.
About Ben Collyns
Ben is a second generation Master thatcher with a real passion for the craft. He is trained in Combed wheat, Water reed and all styles of ridging.
Ben has been thatching for over 15 years and is a member of the National Society of Master Thatchers and The Guild of Master Craftsmen. He completed his apprenticeship throughout Somerset and Dorset, he attended Knuston Hall thatching college where he obtained a heritage skills NVQ level 3.
Ben went on to complete a building craft apprenticeship with the Prince's Foundation in 2011, achieving an NVQ 3 in Carpentry. He was later invited to tutor at the Prince's foundation annual summer school, workshop taster day, London's craft week and Live Build programmes. Ben is committed to encouraging the importance of cultural heritage within the traditional crafts.
Ben is based in Dorset, however his thatching and carpentry skills have enabled him to work throughout England, Scotland and Wales. Ben has worked with a whole range of clients and can provide all required insurances.
@bencollynsthatching
Reviews
Conservation
As conscientious craftsman it is our obligation to preserve our thatched buildings, which are rich in heritage and diverse in character. We aim where possible to maintain the historical vernacular of a building with minimum intervention or ‘like for like’ replacement.
Traditional buildings with thatched roofs require special care and understanding in order to maintain and repair them appropriately. Many buildings with thatch in the south west are listed as being of historic and of architectural interest, which may impose some restrictions on alteration and repair work. When repairing a thatched roof it is customary to remove only the top layers of worn thatch and to leave the base layers as a bed to spar fix on the new coat with hazel or willow. This means that layers of early thatch will often survive underneath the surface layers and sometimes medieval thatch will be found preserved. These old layers provide an insight into early thatching and agricultural methods of the past. The thatch may even contain old varieties of straw such as rye or oat, which would have been tied to the battens using honey suckle, withies or bramble.
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