Long Straw

Straw specially selected and managed in the field, Cut with a binder and thrashed in a thrashing drum, the straw is then drawn by hand into tile like bundles called yealms. These are usually fastened on the last coat with spars after stripping off superfluous and decayed materials. Normally strips called stelches are built up from the eave to the ridge. The method is very labour intensive and not very commonly seen but will retain the “tea cosy” look and historic ceilings and timbers are rarely affected. The disadvantage is the relatively short life and the reliance of this method on the fastening methods used on the base coat fastened into which was normally grass rope.