TREE-RING ANALYSIS OF THE BELL TOWER OF THE CHURCH OF ST MARY, PEMBRIDGE, HEREFORDSHIRE
Author(s): Ian Tyers
The bell tower of the church of St Mary, Pembridge, Herefordshire, is a detached structure approximately 15 m north of the chancel of the church. The four main posts of the tower include redundant notched lap-joints. As a result of the presence of these stylistic features, dates between the eleventh and fourteenth century have been offered for this phase. Later, a major modification, or series of modifications have been carried out upon the structure which have had suggested dates ranging between the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries. This report covers the dendrochronological analysis of 53 oak timbers within the tower and the bellframe that was undertaken in an attempt to clarify the dating of both the earliest surviving timbers and the vaious phases of modification. This analysis indicates that the present structure is the product of a single phase of construction, or more likely a major re-construction dated to AD 1668/9. This construction incorporated re-used timbers which are of early thirteenth-century date and are present throughout the structure whilst a smaller group of re-used sixteenth-century timbers are located in the upper spire.
- Report Number:
- 1/1999
- Series:
- AML Reports (New Series)
- Pages:
- 41
- Keywords:
- Dendrochronology Standing Building
