One of the most enduring in British life is the vision of a thatched cottage – a wood burner roaring, roses round the door, a place that feels like it has always been here and always will. In England, there are still some 60,000 thatched houses and they command high prices for sale. Most buyers go in knowing about the charm. Far fewer know about the insurance bill, the wildlife, the heritage restrictions, or what happens when a thatcher retires. Here is what the estate agent brochure leaves out.