Berkeley Remasters the Humble Thatched Cottage

A quintessentially British staple to our countryside villages and towns, the thatched cottage dates back to the Bronze Age. Carefully mastered over the years into what we appreciate today as the chocolate box idyll, the craft of thatching has been passed down from generation to generation and is an incredibly old roofing method that has been used worldwide in both warm and cold climates. Materials used around the globe include cereal straw, grasses, leaves, palm branches and heather. The variety of methods and materials used in thatching make for some really interesting structures. In the UK there are currently approximately 60,000 thatched roofs with some of these roofs having base coats of thatch that were applied over 500 years ago.

Gathering thatch reeds in Norfolk, England

But thatching isn’t just confined to a historic art form – you can find structures world-wide that use thatch in inventive ways.

Thatched bamboo for an Indonesian school by RAW Architecture

Leading housebuilder Berkeley Homes has included a very special three-bedroom thatched home as the centre point of its Woodhurst Park development in Warfield, Berkshire. Titled ‘The Glanville’, this one-off purchasing opportunity embraces traditional architectural features, yet with the specification and convenience of 21st century living.

The Glanville

Set in a beautiful country park setting with acres of landscaped open space, Woodhurst Park embraces classic elements of a charming English village, including a country park, children’s play areas, an orchard park, tree-lined riverside and nature trails. At its heart lies the village green and duck pond, adjacent to The Glanville. The property’s warm golden thatch is emblematic of Berkeley’s desire to recreate the principles of historic communities.

Woodhurst Par, Country Park

Benjamin Ivey, Director of Sales and Marketing at Berkeley Homes (Oxford and Chiltern), comments: “This site is totally unique to the area, cleverly mixing architectural styles and materials for wide market appeal. We had a vision of what we wanted to create here; homes that would stand the test of time, and what better inspiration than looking to the successful styles of the past that have endured for centuries.”

Victorian black and white engraving of a typical English thatch; 19th century rural life; Taken from the Quiver 1888

The concept and design of the thatched plot was devised by the in-house design team at Berkeley Homes (Oxford & Chiltern), supported by the Planning Stage Architects, BHP Harwood and the Detailed Design Architects (Trinity). Dave Taylor, Design Director at Berkeley, says: “Where we design developments in-house, one of the first tasks we undertake in developing an architectural concept is to look back through historic records for the scheme, in addition to looking at the prevailing character of the area. Warfield is an area of pretty villages and country views, something which we strove to emulate here.”

Dave Taylor

The white rendered finish and Combed Wheat Reed Thatch roof of The Glanville are striking against the handsome red-bricked character of the homes which surround it. As with all homes at Woodhurst Park, the thatched cottage has been built in accordance with the Dorset Model and Building Regulations. Thatched roofs are very durable and long-lasting. The life expectancy of the roof thatch here is an impressive 40 to 50 years! Living in a thatched roof home can also save you money on your heating bills. The air pockets in these roofs provide excellent insulation keeping your home warm during the winter and cool during the summer.

Whilst the external is designed to naturally evolve into the scenery, the contemporary proportions and fixtures inside the property have been built for modern family living. Fully fitted kitchens have stone worktops, integrated appliances and luxury flooring, whilst sleek bathrooms include top of the range Villeroy & Boch sanitaryware. Other features of note include underfloor heating and a versatile landscaped patio area.

An example of a Villeroy & Boch bathroom

Woodhurst Park is perfect for families, benefiting from a brand-new primary school on-site, Warfield C of E Primary School, all set within 65 acres of beautiful grounds. The development remains extremely accessible to nearby amenities and further education, less than 2 miles from Bracknell Station for commuters.

The Glanville is ready to move into, for sale at £555,000 and available using Help to Buy with a minimum 5% deposit.