The Old Thatched Teashop in Shanklin on the Isle of Wight.

The thatch on this building is reed and will last for about 35 years with a ridge of straw where the thatcher has put his own individual design signature....

  

   
 
 

This teashop on the Isle of Wight in England was built in 1690 as fisherman's cottages. Underneath the stone building is a tunnel which was used by the fishermen (pirates) to hide their contraband and escape if Custom & Excise came knocking at the door. This was typical of the period in the UK's costal regions like Robin Hood's Bay.

   
   
   

Click 1 to 9 to see more ridge styles
 

The thatch on the teashop is reed and will last for 35 to 40 years. The ridge is made of straw, it's where the thatcher puts his individual design signature. Ridges normally need to be renewed after 8 to 10 years but this depends on the quality of the ridge work and the building's exposure to bad weather and any surrounding trees that might shade the thatch from sunlight. Click the buttons 1 to 9 above the picture on the right to see a collection of ridge designs on thatched homes from different counties around the UK.