VÌ SAO NGƯỜI ANH VẪN LỢP NHÀ MÁI RƠM

Britain is the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution the cradle of the steam engine the railway and later of London's finance technology and world-renowned universities A nation that leapfrogged the world in modernization centuries ago still allows you just a one-hour drive from London to stumble upon houses with thatched roofs so thick they resemble giant bundles of straw piled atop stone walls At first glance it looks like a movie set or a tourist attraction but in reality it's just an ordinary scene in England When it comes to thatched roofs it reminds me of old Vietnam where thatched roofs were usually associated with poor homes The reason was simple enough—straw was the cheapest and most readily available material in the countryside After each rice harvest the materials for roofing are immediately available—no need to buy tiles or hire workers just a few family members are enough to construct the roof Wealthy families typically built homes with lim wood frames brick walls and red tile roofs while poorer families could only afford thatched roofs made of straw Thus over time in the Vietnamese psyche the thatched roof has become associated with a life of hardship and houses made of bamboo and mud walls Yet old thatched-roof houses were quite excellent—cool in summer warm in winter made of natural materials that were easy to repair However due to the tropical rainy climate and frequent severe storms thatched roofs deteriorate quickly and are highly flammable so once economic conditions improved people typically switched to tile or metal roofs In Vietnam the thatched roof has become a memory of a difficult past while in England it is cherished as a lasting heritage In England thatch is still used to roof houses and the question arises: why in this day and age does England continue to do so The answer isn't just about preference behind those rooftops lies a story rooted in history law economics climate tourism and national pride Discussing the history of thatched roofs in England they have been present in England for over a thousand years much like in traditional Vietnamese villages of old In olden England rural people didn’t have access to cement metal sheets or factory-made tiles—they used what was readily available: wheat straw and reeds In the 14th and 15th centuries most rural homes in England were thatched with straw the most common affordable readily available and easily repairable material By the 18th and 19th centuries as the Industrial Revolution surged the production of tiles and slate advanced rapidly gradually replacing thatched roofs But it wasn't all lost In certain areas they managed to preserve many old houses and it's precisely this preservation that has become the foundation for today's story The British are fascinating they also have a fondness for old things though some might say the British are overly practical However with these houses there's a concept known as the heritage preservation ranking clause Once a home is recognized as having historical or architectural significance the owner can almost never make arbitrary changes to its structure If the original roof was thatched you may not replace it with a modern corrugated metal roof simply because you prefer it or want it to be that way There are currently over 500 000 listed buildings in England including approximately 20 000 to 25 000 that still have thatched roofs This number is of course minuscule compared to the tens of millions of homes across England but precisely because of its rarity it has been carefully preserved and continues to exist to this day In many other countries old houses are often demolished to make way for new construction In England old houses can actually be more expensive than brand-new ones This is not blind nostalgia but a deliberate choice to preserve identity rather than blindly chasing global modernity And when Vietnamese people hear the word "straw " they often immediately think of poverty But in England thatched roofs today are associated with luxury Isn't that surprising A standard thatched roof in England is not just a thin layer of straw laid on top It is a thick material block 30 to 50 cm in thickness significantly denser than those in Vietnam compressed into multiple layers From a distance you see a thick soft rounded roof but inside it's a precisely layered structure with each bundle of straw or reed carefully tied compressed and secured in the direction of water runoff Thickness is the most important factor in a thatched roof Insulation works on a simple yet highly effective principle: straw contains numerous tiny air pockets between its fibers and air is a naturally excellent insulator When the straw layer reaches half a meter in thickness those millions of tiny air pockets form an effective thermal barrier Winters in England are cold with temperatures dropping below freezing in many rural areas If the roof is thin heat inside the house escapes rapidly However with such thick thatch heat is retained for longer significantly reducing the amount of energy needed for the heating system Given the already high electricity and gas prices in the UK saving even a few percentage points of energy each month is highly valuable In summer conversely when the sun shines down this thick layer of straw provides exceptional insulation once again Roofs made of corrugated metal or other materials can become hot within just a few hours quickly transferring heat to the ceiling and the entire house The thatched roof absorbs heat slowly and transmits it gradually making the area beneath significantly cooler and more naturally comfortable In rural areas not every household has air conditioning especially in Europe where air conditioning is less common making this feature particularly useful Another fascinating detail is that the thatched roof breathes Its natural structure allows moisture to gradually escape rather than being trapped unlike many modern synthetic materials This helps prevent moisture condensation a major enemy of homes in cold damp climates like that of the UK What about durability then Many people think straw must rot quickly In reality when properly constructed with sufficient slope to allow rainwater to drain quickly the roof structure can last several decades In some places using high-quality wiping fibers can extend lifespan even further The key lies in tight compression and arranging the outer layer properly to prevent water from seeping deep inside The roof peak being the most exposed to rain and wind and subject to the greatest wear is typically replaced every 10 to 15 years This is like routine maintenance not a complete roof overhaul Thanks to this incremental maintenance approach long-term costs are kept very well under control Of course thatched roofs are not without their weaknesses If the slope is insufficient water may seep in and reduce longevity If the chimney system does not meet standards in the UK the risk of fire significantly increases However with modern construction standards combined with time-honored practices these risks are tightly controlled That's why thatched roofs in England are so durable—they're a traditional building system refined over hundreds of years Suitable for the damp misty climate When you look at that golden straw layer you're seeing not just a type of biomass but it remains a classic technical solution that is still effective in modern times And in England there's a trade known as thatching with straw Today in England only about 1 000 to 1 500 professional thatchers remain across the entire country This number isn't significant It's not a common profession Among hundreds of thousands of builders electricians and carpenters thatched roofers are truly a unique profession Becoming a skilled craftsman requires years of apprenticeship learn how to select straw prepare the material and compact the layers tightly while ensuring good drainage Shaping the roof to be both durable and aesthetically pleasing with each region employing its own unique techniques For example the area suitable for wheat straw use will differ from that suitable for reed use It's not enough to just pile up the straw if the void space is incorrect or the compression is uneven Rainwater seeps in rapidly reducing the worker's lifespan Due to the limited number of skilled workers required thatching a straw roof is also not inexpensive averaging between 20 000 and 40 000 British pounds That’s roughly 600 million to over 1 billion VND depending on size and material That's just the roof—other costs like scaffolding inspections or insurance aren't included yet This price has severed the modern thatched roof's connection to the image of the traditional bamboo-and-mud hut cherished in the Vietnamese memory In England if a house still retains its original thatched roof particularly in rural areas The price is very high—500 000 pounds and could easily exceed one million pounds at is roughly between 15 and 30 million Vietnamese dong That’s what makes it clear: that thatched roof today is no longer a symbol of poverty It symbolizes high-end heritage-rich real estate Buyers aren 't just paying for square footage or the number of bedrooms but also pay for the historical value and unique character that modern materials cannot replicate What was once considered a humble choice for medieval peasants has now transformed into something entirely different When it comes to concerns about fire risk thatched roofs are naturally more flammable than tiled ones Throughout history numerous fires have occurred especially when people use non-compliant stoves or chimneys Today thatched-roof houses must comply with strict fire safety regulations The fire protection system ensures that the safe distance between the chimney and the roof is strictly controlled Thatched roof house insurance is typically higher than standard home insurance but this difference is entirely reasonable There is risk but it is managed through technology and legislation Today the image of his hometown with its thatched roofs stone walls and small wooden doors It has become one of the most widely used symbols in tourism promotion Visitors to England don't come to see concrete buildings like those found anywhere else in the world they want to experience what only England has to offer A thatched-roof house can generate far more tourism revenue than the value of its materials Here the thatched roof is more than just architecture—it's something truly special It should be emphasized that today in England only around 20 000 to 25 000 thatched homes remain It still exists in tens of millions of other homes at a rate of less than 0.1% It doesn't represent modern England as a whole but it does reflect how England views its own history If you find this story interesting please hit the subscribe button It won’t be long before we support the production team For now I’d like to say a fond farewell