Thatchers Add Star Quality to New Landmark County Durham Attraction

Thatching specialists have been working to construct the thatched roofs setting of a spectacular new attraction opening this year in County Durham.

Brandon Thatchers are roofing the thatched coverings for a full-size, two-storey village setting for an exciting live-action show called Legend of the Wear at the Kynren – The Storied Lands theme park.

The traditional craftsmen are working at the dramatic lakeside set of the centrepiece attraction at the ambitious new live action show park, opening this July.

The roofers at Brandon Thatchers have become film and television specialists since they were recruited to create the set of blockbuster film Braveheart in the 1990s.

Since then, they have worked on many of the world’s most recognisable films and television series as specialist craftspeople whose work is rarely noticed but is essential to creating believable worlds on screen.

“We’re known for creating period and fantasy environments for film, television and major cultural institutions — from villages and castles to battlefields and mythical worlds,” said Brandon Thatchers director, Dicken Warner.

Productions worked on by the thatching roofers in recent years include Wicked, Snow White, Paddington 2, Gladiator II, Dungeons & Dragons, Game of Thrones and The Witcher.

They’ve thatched a whole star-studded array of roofs, from ancient hovels, Viking long houses, medieval merchant’s houses – to complete villages.

“Thatch offers action prompts too – as the battle rages, thatch burns really, really well! We have helped many film and TV production weave stories with thatch,” Dicken explains.

Authentic Craftsmanship

In their latest work for the Legend of the Wear show, the thatchers are creating in painstaking detail a vast lakeside full-scale scenery set, which will be the backdrop to thrilling water stunts and powerful storytelling as the Lambton worm local legend is reimagined.

Dicken Warner added, “Kynren – The Storied Lands stood out because of its ambition to build something permanent, immersive and authentic. These are full-size buildings, and the craftsmanship being applied here is on a par with the biggest productions we’ve worked on.”

Anna Warnecke, Chief Executive of Kynren, said, “From the outset, our ambition has been to create something truly exceptional, a destination where every element feels real, immersive and meticulously crafted.

“Brandon Thatchers bring an extraordinary level of expertise. Their work on some of the most iconic and current film productions in the world reflects exactly the standard we are setting at Kynren.”

Artist impression of The Lengend of the Wear, Kynren – The Storied Lands

All Action Adventure

Legend of the Wear is one of several major shows launching as part of Kynren – The Storied Land’s grand opening in July 2026.

Visitors will begin their journey in Neolithic Britain, stepping into the era of the first settlers, before being immersed in an all-new Viking show where warriors clash amid fire, sparks and roaring action in a visceral, multi-sensory portrayal of Norse life.

The adventure builds to one of the park’s largest and most ambitious show, — an epic medieval spectacle where armoured knights thunder across the arena on horseback and a fearless female warrior’s courage and skill are tested in a breathtaking display of horsemanship and daring stunts.

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