Nottingham Tree-ring Dating Laboratory unpublished report series

Core samples were obtained from nine different oak timbers in the building known as Saunders Wharf, at Hedsor Wharf, in Berkshire. Analysis and dating by dendrochronology reflects the complicated nature of the building, as evidenced by the structural evidence for the re-use of old beams, in that timbers with different felling dates have been found. One timber, reused as a strut, is from a tree that was probably growing as early as the mid-twelfth century. Whilst the exact felling date of this tree cannot be determined because it is missing its outermost rings, it is likely to have been cut some time after ca 1230. Another single timber, re-used as a collar, has felling date estimated to lie in the range 1450 - 75. There is, however, a small group of timbers, principal rafter, purlins, which were felled in 1561. Given that these timbers appear to be primary it is possible that these represent the approximate construction date of the original building as a whole. No other timbers with later felling dates have been identified. It is probable that the timbers here dated represent the building referred to in a document of 1573 which cites a lease of Ralph Hawtrey to Thomas Saunders of a wharf 'called the

Samples were obtained from 12 timbers within the two ranges of this L-shaped building, which stands at an important crossroad in the centre of Canterbury, not far from the Cathedral. Analysis of the cores obtained produced a single site chronology, CBRCSQ01, comprising 10 samples and having an overall length of 128 rings. This site chronology was dated as spanning the years 1247 - 1374. Interpretation of the sapwood on the dated samples indicates that both ranges are of a single phase of construction, the timbers represented being felled ca. 1377 - 78.

Core samples were obtained from eight different oak timbers comprising pad-blocks and the remains of raised cruck blades embedded in the north wall of the Abbey Barn, at Manor Farm, Symondsbury, Dorset. Analysis by dendrochronology produced three site chronologies, SYMBSQ01 - 03, comprising 2 samples each, and having overall lengths of 57, 60, and 66 rings respectively. The first site chronology, SYMBSQ01 (representing a pad-block from truss 9 and the upper cruck blade of truss 7), can be dated as spanning the years 1414 - 1470. It is estimated that the timbers have a felling date sometime between 1485 and 1510. The second site chronology, SYMBSQ02 (representing the pad-blocks of trusses 10 and 11), can also be dated, the rings spanning the years 1502 - 1561. It is estimated that these timbers have a felling date sometime between 1575 and 1600. Although the t-values of the cross-matches for the third and final site chronology, SYMBSQ03 (representing the pad-blocks of trusses 5 and 6), are not particularly high, they are significant and cannot be ignored. The rings of this site chronology appear to span the years 1531 to 1596, suggesting that the timbers represented are likely to have been felled sometime between were felled sometime between 1608 and 1633. It would appear, therefore, that while some of the timber is of the date suggested for the barn on the basis of stylistic evidence, some pieces may be later, and may represent insertions made during repairs

Core samples were obtained from ten different oak timbers in this building at Halton Village Buckinghamshire. Analysis undertaken on these samples has resulted in the construction and dating of a single site sequence and the individual dating of a further single sample, HLT-A02. Site sequence HLTASQ01, of 120 rings, contains five samples and spans the period 1559-1678. Sample HLT-A03, dated within this site sequence, has complete sapwood with a last ring date, and thus a felling date, of 1678/9. Interpretation of the heartwood/sapwood boundary on the other four samples in this site sequence points towards these also representing timbers felled in 1678/9. Sample HLT-A02 was dated individually to the period 1590-1678. This sample also has complete sapwood and was thus also felled in 1678/9. Tree-ring analysis has dated timbers of the roof and ceiling frame to 1678/9, with construction of the building likely to have occurred shortly after this date.

Core and slice samples were obtained from 12 different oak timbers of the 'strong room' (G14), at Brocklesby Hall, Lincolnshire. Analysis of these samples produced two dated site chronologies and dated a further single sample individually. The first site chronology comprises seven samples, all but one (the exception being that from the main north - south bridging beam) being from common joists to the ceiling of this room. This first site chronology has an overall length of 107 rings, these rings spanning the years 1617 - 1723. The second site chronology comprises two samples, both from window lintels. This second site chronology has an overall length of 95 rings which span the years 1607 - 1701. The individually dated single sample, also from a lintel, has 99 rings which span the years 1554 - 1543. Interpretation of the sapwood on the dated samples would indicate that the majority of timbers, all the dated common joists and two of the lintels, are likely to have been felled between about 1725 and 1740. The main north-south beam, with a felling date probably no later than 1715, is, however, a little earlier. Earlier still is one of the window lintels, this timber having an estimated felling date in the range 1560 - 1580.

Dendrochronological analysis of 12 samples from roof timbers of two sections of 'Winchcombe Abbey' House has produced a single site chronology, WNCASQ01, comprising all 12 samples, with an overall length of 200 rings. These 200 rings span the period 1250 to 1449. Interpretation of the samples indicates that, as suggested by the structural evidence, two phases of timber felling are represented by the beams found in the present covering. The timbers of the earlier phase of felling, represented by the beams over the southern part of the roof (described as building '2'), were all cut in 1445, whilst the later timbers, those over the northern end of the building (building '3'), were felled a few years later in 1449. Given the dating on stylistic evidence of the buildings themselves to the thirteenth century and earlier, these mid-fifteenth century timbers must represent an episode of re-roofing and alteration.

Core samples were obtained from 37 different oak timbers within Cromford Bridge House, Cromford, Derbyshire. Analysis of 34 of these samples (three having too few rings for reliable dating) produced five dated site chronologies. Interpretation of the dates obtained for 29 of the 34 measured samples indicates that the earliest part of the present building is the two-bays of one of the north-south ranges gable-end on to the road. This was constructed of timber felled in 1524. A further large single-bay extension was added to the north side of this original two bay hall in 1655. A few years later, in 1662, a major development saw the addition of an east- west range, added to the west of the two earlier stages of building. This new work appears to have been a two-storey-with-attic domestic building at its east end (where it attached to the existing building), and a one-and-a-half storey, possibly agricultural building, at the west end. Within a less than a hundred years, almost certainly by 1735, the one-and-a-half storey portion of the east-west range was raised in height to make it a two- storey-with-attic building, matching the rest of this range. This work reused much of the timber felled in 1662, but incorporated and reused some salvaged timbers originally felled in 1586, and some new timbers specifically felled for the mid-eighteenth century work. Other, minor, alterations were made to some parts of the building during these years. The exact date of these works cannot be determined. It is likely that within a generation of the east-west range having been built, say by 1780, a superior Georgian range was attached to the east of, and parallel to, the primary 1524 build, as a north-south gable range.

Tree-ring analysis of a 22 samples from the roof and first-floor partition walls of Sharpcliffe Hall has produced two separate site chronologies. The first site chronology, SPCASQ01, comprises 10 samples, all from what are believed to be primary or phase 1 timbers, and has an overall length of 182 rings. These rings can be dated as spanning the years 1466 to 1647. Interpretation of the sapwood on these dated samples would indicate that the timbers they represent were all felled between 1650 - 52. The second site chronology, SPCASQ02, comprises six samples, all from what are considered to be inserted, secondary, or phase 2, timbers. This second site chronology has an overall length of 120 rings which can be dated as spanning the years 1512 to 1631. Interpretation of the sapwood on the six dated samples of this second site chronology would indicate that at least one timber was certainly felled in 1627, and another was certainly felled in 1631. It is likely that the other four dated timbers were felled at about his time too. It would thus appear that the primary phase timbers of Sharpcliffe Hall date to 1650 - 55. The alterations, which must have been undertaken some time after this date, use timber felled ca 1627 - 31, which must, presumably, have been salvaged from somewhere else and reused here.

A total of 18 core samples was obtained from a wide range of location within Old Hall Cottage, Twyford, in south Derbyshire. Of this number, 13 cores were measured and analysed (five samples having too few rings for reliable dating). From this material two separate site chronologies, accounting for nine samples, could be formed and dated, with two further samples being dated individually. Interpretation of the dating indicates that the great majority of dated timbers, representing the main structural beams, were cut as part of a single felling operation in 1654. One timber, a common rafter presumably reused in this building, was cut slightly earlier in 1629, with another timber, reused as a principal rafter, being felled earlier still some time between 1572 and 1597

Tree-ring analysis of 15 measured samples from a range of locations within Wakelyn Hall produced a single site chronology, HLTBSQ01, comprising 12 samples, and having an overall length of 159 rings. These rings were dated as spanning the years 1415 - 1573. Interpretation of the analysis indicates that all the dated timbers represent a group of trees cut in a single felling operation in 1573, with the building being constructed immediately thereafter, or within a year or two at the very most.