The Jewel Tower, Abingdon Street, Westminster, London
Author(s): Dr Martin Bridge
A combination of cores and photographs from structural oak timbers thought to be associated with the original fourteenth century roof and foundations of the Jewel Tower failed to date, whilst the elm piles from the foundations were rejected as unsuitable for analysis. A combination of photographs and ‘Fimo’ impressions from the boards of the door to the second floor chamber resulted in the successful dating of a single partial board sequence to the period AD 1175-1257. This was found to be of imported oak from a likely German or Baltic region source. Allowing for the additional rings present in the outer section of this board and the minimum likely number of sapwood rings, an estimated terminus post quem for felling of this board of AD 1336 is produced. It seems likely therefore that the door is part of the original AD 1360s building.
- Report Number:
- 109/2011
- Series:
- Research Department Reports
- Pages:
- 17
- Keywords:
- Dendrochronology Standing Building
