Thatching a roof - GIF and photo

[olderdan]

I live in the west country in the UK where there are a lot of beautiful thatched buildings, many are listed so will have to be re thatched, thatchers are premadonnas these days.
There are downsides to having a thatched roof as my youngest son would testify, when a chimney fire nearby destroyed his cottage along with four others, they are also a haven for spiders and nesting birds but the biggest problem these days is obtaining insurance, the cost of which is going through the roof (sorry).