SNN108368 - A Cottage Roof at 62 Billing Road, Brafield-on-the-Green

As part of the restoration of a cottage at 62 Billing Road, Brafield-on-the-Green it was necessary to remove the existing thatch, which exposed the underlying roof timbers. Both were recorded prior to their replacement. The roof timbers are of interest as they illustrate the practicalities and economies of roofing a small cottage of low status by utilising whatever timbers can be acquired. Most were only roughly trimmed and many retained bark, and all were heavily infested with wood boring insects. The result was a roof that would not appear in any text book on timber construction techniques.