Thatch poles of peeled cedar were attached to the common rafters and these in turn would have the roof thatching bound to them with heavy twine.
Thatched roof plymouth.
Thatching in the early years of the seventeenth century became so popular that the local council at plymouth fearing a major fire banned further use of straw and reed for roofing houses in 1636.
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The timbers underneath are dated to 1299 1300 that s over seven centuries old the smoke blackened thatch they support is of a similar age.
These multilayered roofs are found in the earliest surviving thatch found in this county being some of the oldest seen anywhere in britain.
The walls and chimney were given a thick coat of daub and covered with hand riven clapboards on the exterior.
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Most houses had dirt floors not wooden floors and each had a prominent fire and chimney area since this was the only source of heat as well as the only way to cook.
Riving clapboards was a skill well understood by the plantation s cooper james blogg.
The material used then was combed cereal thatch.
The earliest houses in plymouth had thatched roofs but because they were more likely to catch on fire the colony eventually passed a law that required new homes be built with plank instead.
Only board or pale could now be used.