scraws2002@yahoo.co.uk

Mark Taggart aka 'Thatcher Taggart', began Thatching in late 1992, having been accepted by the Thatching Advisory Services Ltd, Berkshire, England, on to the only Thatching training course running in the British Isles at that time.

After an intensive training period, detailing the latest developments and specifications of the Thatching industry, (eg new build Thatching and the ethics pertaining to a true historical representation of protecting buildings of important heritage and historical worth), he returned to Northern Ireland where he set up business in the County Town of Tyrone. Thatching in Donegal, Derry, Fermanagh, Down, Antrim, and Armagh.

Dedicated to achieving the highest quality in workmanship via the finest and best quality materials and specifications, he single handly challenged what had become the accepted - substandard norm in what could be loosely called Thatching in Northern Ireland.

His dedication to achieving the highest standards resulted in a number of Thatched listed buildings being saved from destruction due to their owners being fed up with constant leaks, countless re-thatchs, and the identification and subsequent challenge to the NIEA Historical Building branch, over the ongoing destruction of the Listed Thatched Scraw Roof.
Asked why, The Thatcher Taggart replied, “When your fighting a Serpant, you go for its head.”

As it stands today The Thatched Scraw roof is now protected by Technical note 6, a revision of Technical note 2.(see 'Scraw Protest' page and compare both notes). His thoughts on this is merely that, “It’s a start” and “Technical note 6 will have to be revised again, it will have to specify the depth of Thatch, 300mm/12 inches being the accepted min, to be of any worth to the Home owner, who by the way, is held to be responsible by the NIEA Historical buildings branch, for the workmanship carried out on their roof. The upshot of all this, will be instead of the Listed Thatched Cottages being an adverse advertisement and the poor relation of the new build Thatched Cottage, they will become a true representation of the Thatching industry whilst preserving the unique building methods of our Irish ancestors via the pole rafter Scraw Thatched roof.”

Thatcher Taggart also spoke of his desire to design and construct a new build roof which would take the best designs from historical cottages, Eyebrow windows and a Tea Cosy curve and incorporate them into a new build roof, whilst bringing the highest new build specification into play at the same time. 12 to 14 inches of best quality Water Reed laid onto a roof to the Dorset Model Specification, incorporating a 1 hr fire board and insulation between the rafters to achieve the recommended building regulations for a Warm Roof construction and bring down insurance costs.

“I have worked on Building Sites since I was 15 and have therefore been influenced by the many forms Architects, Builders and Clients have designed, my biggest hero and influence at the moment is Reginald Fairfax Wells, I could see one of his New Build cottage designs with my curved Thatched roof sitting on top, It would be a Master Piece. Its all in the proportions and the curve, that’s what speaks to the eye”

If you are at the inception process of designing and constructing a new build Thatched cottage in Ireland, Mark would be very interested to hear from you and your Designer. Please contact him via any of the above methods. SKYPE calls are free to all other SKYPE members, Mark is generally on SKYPE after 7.30pm.

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