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Working with clay peg tiles on heritage roofs is something our team at Clarke Roofing genuinely loves doing. These roofs are often centuries old, full of character, and deserve to be looked after properly. As specialists in clay peg and clay interlocking tiles, we've worked on listed properties, churches, cottages, and period homes right across the South East, and we know how much care the right approach can make. Getting it right means understanding what clay peg tiles actually are, why they matter so much on older buildings, and how to handle the work so the roof keeps its character and performs the way it should for years to come.
Clay peg tiles are small, flat clay tiles with two holes at the top. They get their name from the wooden pegs that were traditionally pushed through those holes to hang the tiles onto the timber battens of the roof. The method has been around in England since the 13th century, and in some parts of the South East you can still see original peg tile roofs that are hundreds of years old.
Each tile is usually handmade, which means no two are exactly the same. The slight differences in colour, camber, and surface texture are what give these roofs their distinctive character. You get subtle variation across the elevation rather than the uniform look of a modern machine-made tile. That natural irregularity is a big part of why planners and conservation officers place such value on them.
On listed buildings and properties in conservation areas, the roof is often one of the most prominent historic features. The Institute of Historic Building Conservation is clear that clay plain or peg tiles should not be substituted with concrete tiles, interlocking tiles, or machine-made alternatives, and that handmade clay tiles should be replaced with handmade clay tiles where possible.
That means when you are working with clay peg tiles on heritage roofs, you usually cannot just pick a modern tile off the shelf. Replacements generally need to match the existing tiles in size, tone, and texture. In many cases, Listed Building Consent or conservation area consent will be required before any meaningful work takes place, and owners should always check with their local planning authority before starting a project.
This is where experience really counts. Getting the specification wrong can lead to enforcement action, wasted money, and a roof that looks out of place on an otherwise carefully preserved building.
Every heritage roof is different, but our general approach follows a few consistent principles.
Wherever possible, we strip the roof carefully so that the existing peg tiles can be reused. Many original handmade tiles are still perfectly sound, and reinstating them preserves far more of the building's character than starting again with new stock. On our work at Fairstowe, an Edwardian country house near Crowborough, we salvaged as many of the original clay peg tiles as we could and then blended them with closely matched reclaimed tiles to keep the appearance authentic.
A peg tile roof is only as good as what sits underneath it. Battens can rot, and fixings can rust, so we always check these before relaying any tiles. Where replacement is needed, we use pressure-treated battens. This is particularly important on peg tile roofs because the tiles traditionally rely on a combination of pegs, friction, and sometimes lime mortar torching on the underside, rather than being nailed or clipped on every course.
When new or additional tiles are required, we source them to match as closely as possible. That can mean reclaimed tiles from architectural salvage, or handmade tiles from specialist UK makers who still produce peg tiles in traditional sizes and textures. Tone, camber, and surface finish all need to work together so the finished roof reads as one, not as patched sections.
Working with clay peg tiles on heritage roofs is not just about the tiles themselves. Swept valleys, bonnet hips, verges, and leadwork around chimneys all need to be detailed in a way that suits the age of the building. Our roof tilers and slaters are NFRC heritage approved, and our leadworkers are accredited by the Lead Contractors Association, so we can handle the full roof package rather than leaving the trickier details to someone else.
Well-made clay peg tiles can last a very long time, and it's not unusual to come across peg tile roofs in the South East that are well over a hundred years old. When tiles do fail, it's usually down to frost damage on weaker tiles, rotten battens, or worn-out fixings rather than the tiles themselves giving up. That's why a proper assessment matters so much at the start of a project. More of the original tiles can often be saved than people expect, which is good news for the character of the building and for the budget.
If you own a listed property, any work affecting the historic character of the roof will typically need Listed Building Consent, and in a conservation area you may need consent too. It's always worth speaking to the local planning authority early so everything is on the right footing before work begins. Handmade peg tiles can also be specified on new builds in sensitive settings, where planners want a new property to sit comfortably alongside older neighbours.
Heritage roofs reward careful work and punish shortcuts. A concrete tile on a listed cottage, the wrong mortar mix, or badly detailed lead can all diminish the building and cause problems further down the line. Clarke Roofing has been trading for over 70 years, and we regularly work with homeowners, architects, local authorities, and The National Trust on exactly this kind of project. Our team has also worked on Grade I and II listed properties across Sussex, Kent, Surrey, Hampshire, and London, including Chartwell, the former home of Sir Winston Churchill.
All of our new roofs and re-roofs come with a minimum 10-year guarantee, we do not ask for advance deposits, and we provide clear, uncomplicated quotations so you know exactly what the project involves before it starts.
If you've got a period property, a listed building, or a home in a conservation area, clay peg tiles on heritage roofs are usually worth looking after rather than replacing with something modern. The right advice and the right team around you can make a real difference, both to how the roof looks and to how long it lasts.
If you'd like to chat about a project, whether it's a small repair or a full re-roof, our team would be happy to come out, take a look, and talk you through the options. You can get in touch with us and we'll take it from there.