TREE-RING ANALYSIS OF BOOTH HALL AND 16-18 HIGH TOWN, HEREFORD
Author(s): G Boswijk, Ian Tyers
Tree ring analysis has been carried out on a large number of timbers from Booth Hall and 16-18 High Town, Hereford, which form a complex of late Medieval civic buildings between High Town and East Street, Hereford. Before the analysis Booth Hall was thought to have been built in the late fourteenth century. According to documentary evidence a Guildhall was built somewhere in the area in AD 1490, and a Freeman's Prison was also built at about the same time. The tree-ring analysis has produced a site chronology dated AD 1302 - AD 1489 inclusive. These results show that a programme of extensive (re-) building occurred throughout this area in the late fifteenth century. Timbers from Booth Hall have a felling date range of AD 1454 - AD 1492. A timber frame located to the south of Booth Hall, thought to be the remains of the Freeman's Prison, was built from timbers felled AD 1470 - AD 1515. A building incorporated into 16 High Town has a felling date of spring AD 1490, suggesting that this may have been the site of the documented Guildhall. The samples from 18 High Town could not be dated.
- Report Number:
- 101/1997
- Series:
- AML Reports (New Series)
- Pages:
- 23
- Keywords:
- Dendrochronology
