Wiltshire thatcher recreates Led Zeppelin album cover

Jake Greenfield said finding out the photo was of someone local was "quite cool"

A thatching apprentice has recreated the iconic album cover of Led Zeppelin's fourth studio album.

Jake Greenfield, together with BBC Radio Wiltshire, re-enacted the original photo of a 19th Century Wiltshire thatcher that made it onto the album cover of Led Zeppelin IV.

"It's like re-enacting a bit of history," said Mr Greenfield.

Last week, it was revealed a university historian had identified the 19th Century thatcher as Lot Long from Mere.

"I instantly recognised the man with the sticks - he's often called the stick man," Brian Edwards, who is part of the regional history centre at the University of the West of England (UWE) in Bristol, said.

The original black and white picture was found in a Victorian photo album

Seeking reaction to the discovery the famous image was of a Wiltshire Thatcher, the BBC spoke to current day thatchers Ellis Butcher and Mr Greenfield in Chitterne.

Master thatcher Mr Butcher said: "It's nice to be able to find this photograph and that he was supposedly a thatcher and from Wiltshire. It is really fascinating."

A Led Zeppelin fan, thatching apprentice, Mr Greenfield went on to help recreate the original photo.

"I have the album. I remember purchasing the album. I even remember the shop I bought it in, about 10 years ago," he said.

Mr Greenfield said recreating the photo was "like re-enacting a bit of history"

Originally released in 1971, Led Zeppelin IV has sold more than 37 million copies worldwide and includes the huge hit Stairway to Heaven.

Mr Greenfiels said: "This has turned out to be quite important locally, because I think for a long time everyone assumed it was just a painting.

"To find out it is a picture, but not just a picture, but it is someone local, who lived in the area, that worked in the area, is all quite cool.

"He was a craftsman and that's something that isn't highlighted enough in modern times.

"It's not really considered by a lot of people as a career path, but I would highly recommend it."

Master thatcher Ellis Butcher also gave the photo a go

Mr Edwards found the original picture when looking through a photograph album for other research.

He then set about researching thatchers from that time period, and said his research suggested the man pictured was Lot Long, who died in 1893.

Wiltshire Museum has since acquired the photograph and plans to include it in an exhibition next year.