Tree-Ring Analysis of Timbers from the Roof of the Keep or "Little Castle", Bolsover Castle, Derbyshire
Author(s): Alison Arnold, Robert Howard, Cliff Litton
Sixteen samples were obtained from two areas of roofing to the Keep, more commonly known as the "Little Castle", at Bolsover Castle, Derbyshire. This analysis produced a single sequence consisting of all sixteen samples, this being 218 rings long. The sequence was dated as spanning the years AD 1532 to AD 1749. Interpretation of the sapwood, and the heartwood/sapwood boundaries, on the samples would indicate that the timber used in both areas of roofing was felled in AD 1749. It is known from documentary sources, and the stylistic information supports this, that the Little Castle was built in the early seventeenth century. Thus, a date such as AD 1749 for the timber of this roof is substantially later than that of the early seventeenth century previously ascribed to it. Such at date is, however, consistent with general repairs known, from documentary sources, to have been undertaken at Bolsover Castle in c AD 1750.
- Report Number:
- 15/2003
- Series:
- CfA Reports
- Pages:
- 22
- Keywords:
- Dendrochronology Standing Building
