Thatched cottages are the Marmite of the property world – you either love them or hate them.

For some people, it’s the quintessential, chocolate-box image that makes thatched cottages so alluring. They’re a reminder of the traditional, old-fashioned roofing methods used in the UK and the properties themselves are often quaint and tucked away in rural villages. Of course, there are new build homes that have thatched roofs too – estimates suggest there are about 5% of new homes with thatch in the UK – and thatched buildings can occur in urban areas too (Shakespeare’s re-constructed Globe Theatre in London, for example).

On the other hand, for those who hate the idea of buying a thatched cottage some of the key reasons usually cited are the maintenance of thatch, the cost of having the thatch replaced (although a well produced thatched roof made of water reed could last for up to 60 years) and the fire risk issue. Sadly there are a handful of cases each year where thatched cottages do catch fire and the roofing material doesn’t help hinder the flames, but steps can be taken to reduce the risk of fires and non-thatched homes aren’t immune to fire either.

If the idea of thatch doesn’t scare you witless, then here are a selection of some delightful-looking thatched cottages, both old and new, currently on the market.

Devon
£550,000

This four-bedroom, Grade II listed cottage at Waddon features three reception rooms, gardens with streams, a paddock and a front porch and sits off a quiet country lane.

Dorset 
£435,000
A four bedroom, two reception room thatched cottage overlooking farmland in Winterbourne Kinsgston.

 
Cambridgeshire 
£499,995
Another grade II listed cottage, this one featuring three bedrooms, inglenook fireplace, dining room and three bathrooms, and situated in the village of Ailsworth.

 
Suffolk 
£940,000
A two-year-old, five-bedroom thatched farmhouse, plus two holiday homes, at Laxfield, near Woodbridge.

 
Yorkshire 
£375,000
A three-bedroom extended thatched cottage in Harrogate.

 
Warwickshire 
£775,000
Four bedroom thatched cottage that’s looks really old, but is only just over 20 years in age, in Barnacle, near Coventry. This property is really lovely, and features exposed brickwork, brick fireplaces and a timber framed conservatory.

If you’re interested in thatched cottages, take a look at our UK property search and enter the word ‘Thatch’ into the keyword field.

What are your thoughts on thatched cottages? Dream property or nightmare scenario?

Thatch

This entry was posted on Monday, March 2nd, 2009 at 6:15 pm and is filed under Keyword Search of the Week. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.