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Pupils at Cropredy CofE Primary School got a rare chance to see an ancient tradition up close and personal last week as a master thatcher and his team visited.

Dan Quartermain, and his team, Elijah Stewart and Michael De Havilland, brought both their skills and materials to thatch a little round house at the school.

Dan has been a thatcher for almost 30 years and during the visit, organised by Forest School lead Amanda Gibbard-Atherton, he taught the children that thatch can be either made from reeds from Norfolk or very tall wheat cut into straw bales.

Michael demonstrated how hazel strips are twisted into a natural peg to hold the thatch in place.

Master thatcher Dan Quartmain talks to the pupils at Cropredy CoE Primary School NNL-190506-144124001

Amanda said: “The children and staff are so very grateful to Dan and his team for taking the time to work with them at the Forest School site.

“The little round house now has a new lease of life and will be a popular place to play and learn again.”

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Master thatcher visits Cropredy primary