A coppersmith, a Highland thatcher and a trainee sailmaker are among the recipients of a new round of grants to help safeguard some of UK’s most endangered craft skills.
Heritage Crafts has awarded the grants through its Endangered Crafts Fund, which was launched in 2019 to increase the likelihood of at-risk craft skills surviving into the next generation. Five of this round’s grants are funded by The Radcliffe Trust and were selected with special consideration of the impact of the energy crisis on our most vulnerable crafts.
In 2021 Heritage Crafts published the third edition of its groundbreaking Red List of Endangered Crafts, the first research of its kind to rank the UK’s traditional crafts by the likelihood that they will survive into the next generation. The report assessed 244 crafts to ascertain those which are at greatest risk of disappearing, of which four were classified as extinct, 74 as ‘endangered’ and a further 56 as ‘critically endangered’. A new edition will be published on 11 May 2023.
The seven successful recipients are:
- Scot AnSgeulaiche from Perthshire, to train an apprentice in the craft of Highlands and Islands thatching and encourage the use of locally-grown thatching materials.
- Birgit Frietman and Robyn Smith from London, to set up a hub for horn working in London and reduce their carbon footprint by completing more processes in-house.
- James Slaven from Glasgow, to train in sailmaking with Mark Shiner and set up a workshop at the GalGael Trust making and repairing sails and repurposing old sailcloth.
- Steve Hogarth from Derbyshire, to add the skills of leadworking and flint masonry to his steeplejack business, maintaining the usefulness of traditional buildings without the impact of scaffolding.
- Samantha Dennis from Shetland, to catalogue and replicate historical coiled baskets of Shetland and create a market for small crofters to sell locally-grown oat straw.
- John Wills from Northamptonshire, to set up a tinsmithing and coppersmithing workshop that will also provide teaching, using renewable charcoal to heat the traditional soldering coppers.
- Nicholas Konradsen from Lincolnshire, to research and make Lincolnshire bagpipes in a new workshop with more energy-efficient equipment.
These seven projects follow 50 others awarded in previous rounds, covering endangered crafts such as clockmaking, tinsmithing, kiltmaking and many more. Along with The Radcliffe Trust, which has been the major funder in this round, other funders have included The Sussex Heritage Trust, The Pilgrim Trust, The Dulverton Trust, The Swire Charitable Trust and others, as well as individuals who have donated sums from £5 right up to several thousands of pounds.
As usual the fund was oversubscribed, and Heritage Crafts hopes to work with many of the unsuccessful candidates to identify other funding and support opportunities.
Mary Lewis, Heritage Crafts Endangered Crafts Manager, said:
“The current energy crisis means that our craft skills are at more risk than ever before. We are delighted to be working in partnership with the Radcliffe Trust and other funders to address the specific challenges being faced by endangered crafts practitioners at this time.”
View the full list of the 57 grants awarded to date
Highlands and Islands thatching
The thatching of roofs in the Highlands and Islands tradition, using locally available materials such as marram grass, oat straw, heather, bracken and rush. See also thatching.
|Historic area of significance
|Scottish Highlands and Islands
|Area currently practised
|Western Isles, Northern Isles, Shetland, Scottish Highlands
|Origin in the UK
|Current no. of professionals (main income)
|Current no. of professionals (sideline to main income)
|Current no. of trainees
|Current total no. serious amateur makers
|Fewer than 10
|Current total no. of leisure makers
|Minimum no. of craftspeople required
Scotland has a long tradition of using thatch, and it has one of the most diverse ranges of thatching materials and techniques found in Europe. However, the number of traditional thatched buildings is decreasing. A 2018 report into Scotland’s thatched buildings listed 236 buildings in Scotland which were thatched or are recorded as having had been thatched. A number of these were deteriorated at that time, and the number has continued to decrease.
There is a modest revival happening in some parts of Scotland that is being supported by Historic Environment Scotland. Thatching in the Western Isles, and particularly Uist, is also being driven by tourism and second home owners, as many visitors to the Islands are keen to stay in a traditionally thatched building. This contrasts to the Northern Isles, where the tradition is virtually extinct, and extant examples all feature compromised techniques, as is the case in Lewis. In Shetland there were around 50 recorded thatched buildings in the 1980s, and in 2021 there were just three. As the materials used in Highland and Islands thatch are less durable than with English thatch, the loss of thatched roofs has been more rapid.
Highlands and Islands thatch is a different technique to English thatch and utilised locally available materials including marram grass, heather, broom, bracken and rush. It was less durable than English methods, because of the locally-available plants and wet climate.
When using oat straw or marram grass, the new thatch is installed over the old thatch, which settles and compresses over time. After three to ten years a new layer of thatch is added as the outside layer of thatch breaks down. The thatch is not fixed to the roof and is instead held down with a system of netting and stone weights to withstand the high winds and extreme weather. Other materials, such as heather, are fixed directly to the roof.
The techniques differs across the region. Hebridean and Highland construction typically utilise barley, heather or bracken, with hipped gables, and watershed into the wall-core; Northern Isles featured oat straw, with stone/turf gables, and watershed outside the wall-face.
ThatchingInfo.com has a useful series of resources on Highland Thatching traditions:
Issues affecting the viability of the craft
Skills issues: There is a lack of training in heritage building skills and it is difficult to recruit trainees
Training issues: there is no financial support available to support training for thatching
Market issues: for financial and practical reasons, most home owners will opt for lower maintenance roofing options. Those that do choose thatch are tending to do it to attract tourists to rental properties, or because they are personally committed to preserving heritage building techniques and skills.
Lack of raw materials: Some of the traditional materials, such as marram grass, have been overharvested in the past and caused the erosion of sand dunes. Cutting of marram grass is permitted in some areas under tightly controlled conditions but it can still be difficult to source.Coir replaced hand-twisted rope in the late 19 th century; the appropriate grade is no
longer available, and making rope by hand uneconomical. Cotton nets replaced hand-made netting in the 19 th century; this too is unavailable. Grain cultivation has markedly decreased, and when oats are grown they are varieties suitable for machine harvest; black oat has virtually vanished from farming.
Impermanence of materials: Highland and Islands thatching materials are less durable materials such as reed, which is now widely used for English thatch. It is a long term commitment and expense to manage a thatched roof and so they tend to be replaced with an alternative material.
Historic Environment Scotland
Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB)
Shetland Museum and Archive
Craftspeople currently known
Thatching knowledge in a museum context:
- Hannes Schnell – Highland Folk Museum, Newtonmore
- Ian Tait – Shetland Museum and Archive
- Auchindrain Township Museum have a trained thatcher who works on museum buildings
Fenton, A, (1976) Thatch and Thatching’, Building Construction in Scotland: Some Historical and Regional Aspects (Dunbar: SVBWG)
Snow, J, (2010) ‘Scottish thatch – a vanishing tradition’, The Victorian, no 34
Walker, B, McGregor, C, and Stark, G, (1996) Thatch and Thatching Techniques: A Guide to Conserving Scottish Thatching Traditions, Historic Scotland Technical Advice Note 4 (Edinburgh)
I Whyte, (1980) ‘The Lewis Blackhouse in 1980: the end of an old tradition’, Northern Studies, no 16
John Wilson Associates (1986) Thatched Buildings Survey of Tiree (Oban)
Mfinyanzi, mchongaji wa nyasi wa Highland na mfundi wa kutengeneza matanga ni miongoni mwa wapokeaji wa raundi mpya ya ruzuku kusaidia kulinda baadhi ya ujuzi wa ufundi wa Uingereza ulioko hatarini. Heritage Crafts imetoa ruzuku kupitia Mfuko wake wa Ufundi wa Hatari, ambao ulizinduliwa mnamo 2019 ili kuongeza uwezekano wa ustadi wa ufundi wa hatari wa kuishi katika kizazi kijacho. Tano ya ruzuku ya raundi hii ni kufadhiliwa na Radcliffe Trust na walichaguliwa kwa kuzingatia maalum ya athari ya mgogoro wa nishati juu ya ufundi wetu zaidi dhaifu. Heritage Crafts ilichapisha toleo la tatu la Orodha Nyekundu ya Ufundi wa Hatari, utafiti wa kwanza wa aina yake wa kuweka ufundi wa jadi wa Uingereza kwa uwezekano wa kuishi katika kizazi kijacho. Ripoti hiyo ilichunguza aina 244 za ufundi ili kugundua zile zilizo katika hatari kubwa ya kutoweka, ambazo nne ziliorodheshwa kama zilizopotea, 74 kama "zilizohatarishwa" na 56 zaidi kama "zilizohatarishwa sana". Toleo jipya la kitabu hicho litatolewa tarehe 11 Mei 2023. Washindi saba ni: - Scot AnSgeulaiche kutoka Perthshire, mafunzo ya ufundi katika ufundi wa Highlands na Visiwa chavua na kuhamasisha matumizi ya vifaa vya chavua kukua ndani ya nchi. Birgit Fritman na Robyn Smith kutoka London, kuanzisha kitovu kwa ajili ya pembe kufanya kazi katika London na kupunguza alama yao ya kaboni kwa kukamilisha taratibu zaidi ndani ya nyumba. James Slaven kutoka Glasgow, kufundisha kutengeneza matanga na Mark Shiner na kuanzisha warsha katika GalGael Trust kutengeneza na kurekebisha matanga na kurekebisha matanga ya zamani. Steve Hogarth kutoka Derbyshire, kuongeza ujuzi wa kuongoza na mawe ya mawe kwa biashara yake ya steeplejack, kudumisha manufaa ya majengo ya jadi bila athari ya scaffolding. Samantha Dennis kutoka Shetland, kuorodhesha na kuiga vikapu vya kihistoria vya Shetland na kuunda soko kwa wakulima wadogo kuuza nyasi za shayiri zilizokuzwa ndani ya nchi. John Wills kutoka Northamptonshire, kuanzisha tanzu ya kutengeneza bati na shaba ambayo pia itatoa mafunzo, kwa kutumia makaa ya mawe ya upya ili kupasha joto mashine za jadi za kutengeneza shaba. - Nicholas Konradsen kutoka Lincolnshire, kutafiti na kufanya Lincolnshire bagpipes katika warsha mpya na vifaa zaidi ya nishati-ufanisi. Mradi huu wa saba unafuatia miradi mingine 50 iliyopewa tuzo katika raundi za awali, ikihusisha ufundi uliokabili hatari kama vile utengenezaji wa saa, utengenezaji wa tin, utengenezaji wa kilt na mengine mengi. Pamoja na Radcliffe Trust, ambayo imekuwa mfadhili mkuu katika raundi hii, wafadhili wengine ni pamoja na Sussex Heritage Trust, Pilgrim Trust, Dulverton Trust, Swire Charitable Trust na wengine, pamoja na watu binafsi ambao wamechangia kiasi kutoka £ 5 hadi maelfu kadhaa ya pauni. Kama kawaida, mfuko huo ulikuwa na usajili wa ziada, na Heritage Crafts inatarajia kufanya kazi na wagombea wengi wasiofanikiwa kutambua fursa zingine za ufadhili na msaada. Mary Lewis, Msimamizi wa Ufundi wa Ufundi wa Urithi wa Uharibifu, alisema: <unk>Mgogoro wa sasa wa nishati unamaanisha kwamba ujuzi wetu wa ufundi uko katika hatari zaidi kuliko hapo awali. "Tunafurahi kushirikiana na Radcliffe Trust na wafadhili wengine kushughulikia changamoto maalum zinazokabiliwa na watendaji wa ufundi wa kuharibika kwa wakati huu. ""Tazama orodha kamili ya ruzuku 57 zilizopewa hadi sasa Highlands na Visiwa cha mchanga, mchanga wa paa katika utamaduni wa Highlands na Visiwa, kwa kutumia vifaa vya ndani kama vile nyasi ya marram, nyasi ya oat, heather, bracken na rush." Ona pia ujenzi wa nyasi. """Situ ya kihistoria ya Scotland, Scotland, Scotland na Scotland, Scotland na Scotland, Scotland na Scotland, Scotland na Scotland, Scotland na Scotland, Scotland na Scotland, Scotland na Scotland, Scotland na Scotland, Scotland na Scotland, Scotland na Scotland, Scotland na Scotland." ya wataalamu (mapato kuu) |No ya sasa ya wataalamu (sideline kwa mapato kuu) |Current hakuna. ya wanafunzi |Sasa jumla ya idadi. mashabiki wanachagua: Less than 10 - Current Total ya watengenezaji wa burudani |Kiwango cha chini cha Scotland ina utamaduni wa muda mrefu wa kutumia nyasi, na ina moja ya mbalimbali zaidi mbalimbali ya vifaa vya nyasi na mbinu kupatikana katika Ulaya. Hata hivyo, idadi ya majengo ya kawaida yenye paa la nyasi inazidi kupungua. Ripoti ya 2018 ya majengo ya nyasi ya Scotland iliorodhesha majengo 236 nchini Scotland ambayo yalikuwa na nyasi au yameorodheshwa kuwa yamekuwa na nyasi. Idadi ya hizo ziliharibika wakati huo, na idadi hiyo imeendelea kupungua. Kuna uamsho mdogo unaotokea katika sehemu fulani za Scotland ambao unaungwa mkono na Mazingira ya Kihistoria ya Scotland. Ujenzi wa nyasi katika Visiwa vya Magharibi, na haswa Uist, pia unaendeshwa na utalii na wamiliki wa nyumba ya pili, kwani wageni wengi wa Visiwa wanataka kukaa katika jengo la jadi la nyasi. Hii inatofautiana na Visiwa vya Kaskazini, ambapo utamaduni ni karibu extinct, na mifano iliyopo wote kipengele mbinu compromised, kama ni kesi katika Lewis. Shetland ilikuwa na takriban majengo 50 yaliyoandikwa katika miaka ya 1980, na katika 2021 kulikuwa na tatu tu. Kwa kuwa vifaa vinavyotumiwa kutengeneza paa la nyasi ya Highland na Islands havidumu kwa muda mrefu kama vile vile vinatumiwa kutengeneza paa la nyasi ya Uingereza, paa za nyasi zimekuwa zikitoweka haraka zaidi. Highlands na Visiwa nyasi ni mbinu tofauti na Kiingereza nyasi na kutumika vifaa inapatikana ndani ya nchi ikiwa ni pamoja na nyasi marram, heather, broom, bracken na rush. Ilikuwa isiyoweza kudumu kama mbinu za Kiingereza, kwa sababu ya mimea iliyopatikana mahali hapo na hali ya hewa yenye unyevunyevu. Wakati wa kutumia nyasi ya shayiri au nyasi ya marram, nyasi mpya huwekwa juu ya nyasi ya zamani, ambayo hujipinda na kukandamiza kwa muda. Baada ya miaka mitatu hadi kumi tabaka jipya la nyasi huongezwa kadiri tabaka la nje la nyasi linavyovunjika. Kwa sababu ya kuwa na uzio wa juu, paa la nyumba huunganishwa na mfumo wa wavu na uzito wa mawe ili kuvumilia upepo mkali na hali mbaya ya hewa. Vifaa vingine, kama vile nyasi, huunganishwa moja kwa moja kwenye paa. Mbinu hizo hutofautiana katika eneo hilo. Hebridean na Highland ujenzi kawaida kutumia shayiri, heather au bracken, na hipped gables, na watershed katika ukuta-msingi; Visiwa vya Kaskazini featured oat nyasi, na jiwe-turf gables, na watershed nje ya ukuta-uso. Kwa sababu ya hali ya hewa, kuna uwezekano wa kuwa na matatizo ya ujenzi wa nyumba, na kwa sababu ya hali ya hewa, kuna uwezekano wa kuwa na matatizo ya ujenzi wa nyumba, na kwa sababu ya hali ya hewa, kuna uwezekano wa kuwa na matatizo ya ujenzi wa nyumba. Wale ambao huchagua nyasi huwa wanafanya hivyo ili kuvutia watalii kwa mali za kukodisha, au kwa sababu wao binafsi wamejitolea kuhifadhi mbinu za ujenzi wa urithi na ujuzi. Ukosefu wa vifaa vya msingi: Baadhi ya vifaa vya jadi, kama vile nyasi ya marram, vimevunwa kupita kiasi katika siku za nyuma na kusababisha mmomonyoko wa vilima vya mchanga. Kwa sababu ya hali ya chini ya udongo, nyuzi za marram zinapaswa kuondolewa kwa urahisi, na kwa sababu ya hali ya chini ya udongo, nyuzi za marram zinapaswa kuondolewa kwa urahisi, na nyuzi za marram zinapaswa kuondolewa kwa urahisi. Mtandao wa pamba ulibadilisha wa mikono katika karne ya 19, lakini pia haupatikani. Kwa sababu ya kupungua kwa ukuaji wa nafaka, aina ya oats ya kawaida ni ya mashine, na oats nyeusi ni karibu kutoweka kutoka kilimo. Kwa sababu ya hali ya hewa, vifaa vya Highland na Visiwa vya Rye ni vifaa visivyo na nguvu kama vile reed, ambayo sasa hutumiwa sana kwa rye ya Kiingereza. Ni ahadi ya muda mrefu na gharama ya kusimamia paa la nyasi na hivyo huwa na kubadilishwa na nyenzo mbadala. "Makumbusho ya kihistoria ya Scotland: ""Makumbusho ya kihistoria ya Scotland: baadhi ya mambo ya kihistoria na ya kikanda"" (S.A.B.S. Shetland Museum and Archive) na ""Makumbusho ya kihistoria ya Scotland: baadhi ya mambo ya kihistoria na ya kikanda"" (S.A.B.S. Shetland Museum and Archive) ni vitabu vya kihistoria vya Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland na Scotland."