茅草屋顶

One of the most common sights in southern English villages， thatched roofs arent just for decoration. Theyre highly practical， too.

茅草屋顶在英国南部的村庄中很常见。它们不仅漂亮，还非常实用。

Every traditional southern English village has at least some houses with thatched roofs， and they really add to its beauty.

在英国南部的传统村庄中，总有那么几栋茅草屋顶的房子，它们为村庄增添了几分美。

Imaging images of soft， green countryside， flowers swaying in a gentle breeze， and ducks quacking by the village green， thatching goes right to the heart of this “picture postcard” world.

想象在绿草如茵的乡村环境中，花儿在微风中摇曳，村庄绿地边的鸭子在嘎嘎地叫，这明信片般的景色中心便是这些茅草房了。

These days， its very desirable to own a thatched cottage and is a sign of wealth. British love tradition， and houses with thatched roofs are regarded as a pure connection you can get with the past.

现在，茅草屋顶的房子在市场上很抢手，因为它象征着财富。英国人热爱传统，而茅草屋顶的房子被认为是传统与现实间最纯粹的纽带。

This wasnt always the case， though. Until around 150 years ago， having a thatched roof on the house was completely normal， because it was the only roofing material available.

不过，茅草屋顶以前并不是富贵的象征。直到大约150年前，茅草屋顶的房子都很普遍，因为茅草是当时唯一能用来铺房顶的材料。

Then the development of canals meant that slate could be moved around the country far more easily， and many houses began to be built with Welsh slate roofs. By the early 20th century， living in a cottage with a thatched roof had become a sign of poverty！

之后，隨着运河的发展，石板可以在全国范围内较容易地运输，许多房子的屋顶便开始使用威尔士石板。到了20世纪早期，住茅草屋成了贫穷的标志！

Thatching has historically been very popular in Europe， but because Britain has preserved so much of its heritage， thatched roofs are a more common sight here than in many other countries.

历史上，茅草屋顶在整个欧洲都很受欢迎，但由于英国人酷爱保留传统，所以相比其他国家，茅草屋顶的房子如今在英国更加常见。

Even today， though， it remains surprisingly practical and there are over 1，000 thatchers who practise this ancient art.

令人惊讶的是，即使在今天，铺茅草屋顶还是一门实用技能，仍有1000多名葺匠实践着这项古老的手艺。

Thatch is made from natural reed and other plants which， when cut and dried， make a waterproof roofing material. When bundled together tightly using special techniques， it creates a roof thickness of around 30cm that keeps out the weather， while still looking good.

茅草屋顶是由芦苇等天然植物切段、晒干形成的防水材料制成。当使用特殊的技术把它们紧紧地捆绑在一起后，30厘米左右厚的屋顶不仅可以抵御风雨，而且还十分美观。

It is strong too， as the thatch material is held in place with wooden pegs fixed to the existing old thatch or directly to the roof timbers by means of steel spikes and cross rods.

这种茅草屋顶还特别结实，因为屋顶上的茅草不是被木钉固定到已有的旧屋顶上，就是用钢钉和木榫直接固定到房顶的木骨架上。

Thatching expert Keith Quantrill says this type of roof helps houses to stay cool in summer and warm in winter， and also acts as highly effective sound insulation material. In Britain， most thatch material comes from wheat straw， ideally from older wheat varieties because their tall stems are strong and robust.

据资深葺匠基思·匡特里尔介绍，有茅草屋顶的房子冬暖夏凉，隔音效果还特别好。在英国，大多数的茅草材料使用小麦秸秆，而且最好用老的小麦品种，原因是老品种长得高，且麦秆强韧耐用。

This can be grown locally， and doesnt need to be transported from one end of the country to another， so it is good for the environment too. The downside is that every 30 or so years， you need to replace it—and it isnt cheap at up to ?30，000.

这些植物在当地就能种植，省去了国内的长途运输，对环境还有益。茅草屋顶的不足之处是它每隔30年左右就需要更换，而且价格不菲——高达3万英镑。

Youll find thatched cottages are almost in every village in southern England； there are some further north but the colder and wetter weather means that many house owners have moved to stone roofs which withstand the rain better.

在英格兰南部的每个村庄几乎都会有茅草屋。往北走也会有一些，但北部寒冷潮湿的天气使很多茅草屋的主人搬到了防雨性能更好的石屋顶房子中。

If you want to enjoy that “picture postcard” look， then the Cotswolds—just an hour and a half from London—is a great area to visit. Just dont forget your camera.

如果你想领略明信片般的茅草屋美景，离伦敦一个半小时路程的科茨沃爾德是绝佳的选择。只是千万不要忘记带相机。

Word Study

available /?'ve?l?bl/ adj. 可获得的；可购得的；可找到的

This was the only room available.

preserve /pr?'z??v/ v. 保护；维护；保留

insulation /?nsju'le??n/ n. 隔热；隔音；绝缘

withstand /w??'st?nd/ v. 承受；抵住；经受住