Pantiles: A Surprising Viking Legacy

For much of the Dark Ages, eastern England was ruled by the Vikings. An area encompassing all of what we think of as East Anglia today and a considerable stretch further north (as far as York) was known as the Danelaw. Here, Scandinavian laws and customs held sway, and the Anglo Saxon laws made over in Wessex (the West Country) and Mercia (the Black Country) had no power.

Norfolk in those days had more in common with Amsterdam than with Andover and this relationship can be seen today in the prevalence of pantiles. The fashion for these baked clay S-shaped roof tiles spread across the North Sea in the 17th Century and are everywhere in East Anglia, but never quite made it as far as the West Country (with the bizarre exception of Bridgwater in Somerset). Local planning laws generally mean that any new building has to be in keeping with the style of the area, so pantiles are unlikely to spread much further. 

If you already have a pantile roof it is worth having it checked periodically by one of our experienced professionals. Pantiles are laid with a single lap, which means they can be more vulnerable to leaks than plain tiles which are usually double-lapped. But don’t let this put you off considering a pantile roof on a new building or extension: these long-lasting roof tiles are an effective and attractive roofing solution and we can supply you with an insurance-backed guarantee. 

At RG Leverett Ltd, we have a range of new and used tiles for all your roofing needs and budgets. Contact us on 01603 418818 and we will be happy to chat with you. Alternatively, you can email any questions to enquiries@roofsuk.co.uk