Ulster's Vernacular Buildings

Thatch and Turf The evocative smell of a turf fire and the sight of a thatched roof were once common while travelling through the Ulster countryside. However it would be a mistake to conflate rosy retrospection with the reality of a lifestyle constrained by poverty. Wet summers could mean poor harvests and therefore no income available to repair a thatch speckled with the rapid growth of weeds and moss, encouraged by excessive moisture. There was no option but to live with it. A look at some thatched buildings in Cullybackey, Crosskeys and Cultra. Vernacular architecture means buildings made by local people, using local materials (such as straw, reed, stone and clay), built to meet local needs. It's 'architecture without architects'.