Traditional Building Techniques used in the Construction of West Wales Cottages

by Ross McCabe of Under the Thatch

Limewash

Throughout West Wales the tradition has been to make buildings stand out from their natural surroundings. This has been achieved through the use of lime. Lime is often used as a mortar in walls, but it is also used as a render and lime wash to decorate and protect the house. Constant lime washing causes a pastry-like crust to build up on the exterior and interior walls. Not only does this crust protect the wall from the elements but it also allows the wall to breathe and so any damp that gets into the wall can escape again.

Naturally occurring pigments are often added to the lime wash mixture to give them their bold colours and hues. The colours most commonly used on the main dwelling spaces are reds, pinks, peaches, and ochre. Blue is seen from the late nineteenth century onwards. The various extensions to the main cottage are often painted using different colours and the outbuildings (and the humblest cottages) are traditionally whitewashed.

Unfortunately, many new occupiers of buildings with lime washed exteriors regard this uneven, often flaky surface as unattractive and useless and spend a significant amount of money removing it to reveal the naked stonework underneath. Not only does the removal of the lime washed crust destroy the character and variety of colourful Welsh buildings, reducing them to a bland stonework façade, but it also exposes the naked wall to the elements. Historically, the trend of using lime to render and wash buildings in Wales increased significantly in the 19th century. Limestone is not widespread in Wales and was a relatively expensive commodity to make and transport if it was not locally available. Its use in cottage construction was rare before 1800 (earth and clay being used as a mortar), apart from lime producing areas where there was an abundance. Gradually its use became more prolific as the material became cheaper and more abundant. Lime washing was eventually replaced by cement washing (in the early twentieth century) and painting using masonry paints, a practice that is not acceptable on these buildings toda.

Roofs Traditionally cottages and other buildings in Wales had two main types of roof, a thatched roof, or slate roof. Thatching was a technique that was widespread throughout Wales. Today thatch appears to have all-but disappeared from the modern Welsh landscape however, many examples of original thatched roofing still remain, but are hidden under sheets of corrugated iron or ‘tin’. Traditional Welsh thatched roofs were made from wheat, barley, oatstraw, turf, marshgarss or reed and were created in a very simple way. Firstly, branches were laid on top of (or sometimes woven around) the main timbers. A layer of underthatch was then added; this was usually a layer of gorse spread across the roof at a thickness of approximately two inches. Occasionally broom, marsh grass or turf was used. Finally, the thatch itself was added. The thatch was separated into handfuls, knotted at one end and thrust through the underthatch and was then trimmed back to reveal a simple but effective roof that could last for several decades before needing to be replaced (but requiring annual repair in many cases).

The most common problem that is associated with restoring old thatched cottages in Wales is that the thatchers are often brought in from outside the region, and bring their own techniques with them. The result is an attractive and effective roof that is historically inaccurate and so the cottage is degraded through an often well-meaning but inauthentic restoration. The other type of roof commonly employed in Welsh cottages is slate roofing.

Towards the end of the 19th century slate eventually replaced thatch as a roofing material and is the most common roof type found in Wales today. Slate was longer lasting and at this time relatively cheaper than it had previously been. In slate producing areas slate or stone tiles were used at last from the C16. These hand-cut slates/tiles are different in appearance from the industrially produced slates of the late C19. In the beginning Welsh cottages had slate roofs that were made up of slates of various sizes and thicknesses. A hole was drilled through the slate and attached to a batten with an oak peg and each course diminished with size towards the ridge of the roof. Once completed, the roof itself was often whitewashed or grouted, creating a visually dazzling dwelling.

These early roofs had a character all of their own. Many of the roofs sagged under the sheer weight of the slate and the irregularity of the slates themselves added a distinct visual dimension to the house. As this practice developed, the slates became much more sorted and regular and the characteristic Welsh roof slowly developed a much more uniform style. In coastal areas, due to the irregularity of the early slates the various gaps and joints needed to be pointed so that they were protected from the elements. Previously this protection was achieved through the use of moss, however as time progressed, lime and then cement was used to fill the gaps. Cement was also used to fill any subsequent leaks and eventually the slates became completely covered over by a thick layer of cement in the most exposed landscapes (notably north Pembrokeshire). Often the weight became so much that both sides of the roof had to be lashed together to stop them from sliding off the house. This can still be identified on many buildings in Pembrokshire by a series of vertical ridges on the roof made up of barbed wire that have been cemented in place.

Walls The earliest cottages were commonly made of turf and other materials that were close to hand and although these were temporary constructions many cottages that remain from the 19th century have been built with little more. Such buildings have walls made from compacted earth, known as ‘clom’ (such as our cottages at Ffynnon Oer). Such walls may seem unstable but they are surprisingly strong, especially when given extra protection through lime washing and posses many qualities such as good insulation and breathability that are not present in modern bricks and cement.Why not book one of our traditional cottages for your holiday in West Wales? Just click here.

Profits are used to restore local vernacular buildings using traditional techniques. Read more about our business here.

Further Reading: Davies, M. 1991. Save the Last Magic… Traditional Qualities of the West Wales Cottage. Crown Print, Llandysul.

Cadw. 2003. Small Rural Dwellings in Wales: Care and Conservation. Cardiff: Cadw See also our links pages where we provide a list of architectural links.