The Royal Clarence Hotel, 16–17 Cathedral Yard, 41–42 High Street, 43–45 High Street, and 47 High Street, Exeter, Devon: Tree-Ring Analysis of Oak and Pine Timbers
Author(s): Alison Arnold, Robert Howard, Cathy Tyers
Tree-ring analysis of samples from 100 oak and conifer timbers from different buildings fronting onto Cathedral Yard and the High Street, in Exeter, resulted in the production of one oak site chronology and one conifer site chronology. The oak chronology comprises 42 samples and is 300 rings long. It is dated as spanning the years AD 1337–1636. The conifer chronology comprises three samples and is 154 rings long, but is undated. Two further oak samples were dated individually. This analysis indicates that the earliest group of timbers are to be found in the rear building of 47 High Street (the possible former kitchen block); a number of timbers here, are likely to have been felled in AD 1479−1504. One, clearly broadly coeval, timber has been dated in the cellar of 47 High Street, which may survive from the original construction of the pair of buildings at 46/47 High Street (previously dated by dendrochronology in 46 High Street to AD 1492−1515). There are, in addition, a few other potentially late fifteenth- or early sixteenth-century timbers plus one mid seventeenth-century timber in the back of this property (in the southern part of a previously independent building in Lamb Alley). The next phase of felling is represented by the roof timbers of 41/42 High Street, these likely to have been felled in the early/mid AD 1560s. The timbers to the rear roof of number 45 High Street are all likely to have been cut in the AD 1630s, with two timbers certainly being felled in AD 1636. The Royal Clarence Hotel contains two timbers that are unlikely to have been felled before the later fifteenth century, as well as one timber that is unlikely to have been felled before the later seventeenth century. 16−17 Cathedral Yard (the Well House Tavern) contains one timber likely to have been felled in the later seventeenth century.
- Report Number:
- 227/2020
- Series:
- Research Report
- Pages:
- 95
- Keywords:
- Dendrochronology Standing Building
