Combed Wheat Reed

Combed wheat reed is wheat straw that has been combed, not threshed, so that the grain and leaves are stripped off and the stems remain straight, undamaged and aligned. Bundles are laid with the butt ends facing out, giving a closely trimmed surface similar in appearance to water reed. Despite its name, it is straw, not reed. It is also known as Devon reed or wheat reed.

Distribution

Combed wheat reed is the traditional thatch of south-west England. Historically, farmers in the south-west combed their straw, while across most of lowland England straw was flailed to produce long straw.

Appearance

Roofs in the West Country often have a relatively shallow pitch and soft, rounded forms, sometimes described as a "pudding basin" look. The surface is neat and even, with the eaves and gables cut with a knife.

Construction

Unlike water reed roofs, existing combed wheat reed does not need to be fully removed before rethatching. New material is fixed with hazel spars into the sound older layers, a practice that over centuries has built up very thick roofs. Some buildings in the region retain base layers that are hundreds of years old and are valuable records of historic crops and farming.

Supply

Combed wheat reed relies on tall, traditional varieties of winter wheat harvested with a binder and processed with a reed comber. Supply varies greatly with the weather: after a wet autumn in 2019 and drought in spring 2020, growers reported reductions of roughly 20-80% in quantity. In shortages, Historic England recommends patching and thin recoating before considering a change of material.

Heritage

Because combed wheat reed is a regional tradition, conservation guidance discourages replacing it with water reed on listed buildings, as this can harm the building's historic significance.