Fowler & Sons are master thatchers in Gloucestershire and other surrounding cities.
Fowler & Sons are master thatchers working across Gloucestershire and the Cotswolds. We re-thatch, repair and ridge thatched roofs on everything from honey-stone Cotswold cottages to Grade I and Grade II listed properties – using long straw, combed wheat reed and water reed sourced for quality and longevity. Whether you’ve inherited a thatch that needs urgent attention or you’re planning a full re-thatch on a listed building, we’d be glad to take a look.
Or call us on 07770 593 681
Before and After Image
Why a Cotswold thatched roof deserves a specialist
Gloucestershire has one of the highest concentrations of thatched and listed properties in England. From the Cotswold AONB villages around Stow-on-the-Wold and Bourton-on-the-Water, to the older cottages on the edges of Cheltenham and Cirencester, the county’s thatched roofs are part of what gives the Cotswolds its character. They also need looking after by people who understand them.
A Cotswold thatch is rarely a straightforward job. Many of the properties we work on are listed, which means any work has to be sympathetic to the building’s history and approved by the local conservation officer. Roof shapes are often complex – dormers, hips, valleys, eyebrow windows – and the ridge patterns are sometimes specific to a particular village or even a particular builder. Get any of that wrong and you’ve damaged a piece of local heritage.
That’s why we work the way we do. Every project starts with a free survey. We talk through your options, the materials that suit your roof, and what the work will actually involve – then we put it in writing with no obligation.
Our thatching services in Gloucestershire
Full re-thatching
A complete re-thatch is the largest piece of work most thatched homes will go through, and typically only needs doing every 25–50 years depending on material and exposure. We strip back to the timbers, check and treat any rotten battens or rafters, then re-thatch in long straw, combed wheat reed or water reed depending on what your property needs and what the planning authority will allow.
Re-ridging
The ridge takes the brunt of the weather and usually needs replacing every 10–15 years — long before the rest of the roof. We offer butts-up and wrap-over ridging, with block or flush finishes, and pattern work in hazel or steel. If you’ve noticed the wire netting lifting, the ridge looking tired, or moss starting to take hold along the apex, it’s likely time.
Thatch repairs and patching
Storm damage, animal damage, leaks around chimneys or dormers, sagging where fixings have failed — we handle the lot. We can usually get to emergency repairs across Gloucestershire quickly, and we’ll always tell you honestly whether a patch will buy you a few more years or whether the roof is actually due a full re-thatch.
Thatched roof surveys
If you’re buying a thatched property, insuring one, or planning future work, an independent thatch survey is invaluable. We provide written reports for prospective buyers, mortgage lenders and insurers, covering the condition of the thatch, the ridge, the underlying timbers, fire-safety considerations and a realistic estimate of how long the roof has left.
Listed-building thatching
A significant share of our Gloucestershire work is on listed buildings, particularly across the Cotswolds. We’re used to working with conservation officers, matching historic ridge patterns, sourcing materials that satisfy listed-building consent, and documenting the work for the property’s records. If your home is listed, mention it on the first call so we can plan the survey accordingly.
Insurance work
Where damage is covered by your insurer, we can liaise with loss adjusters, prepare detailed scopes of work and provide the supporting photography and reports they’ll typically ask for. We’ve handled storm-damage and fire-damage claims on thatched properties across Gloucestershire and the surrounding counties.
