The Tree-Ring Dating of the Church of St Matthew, Harlaston, Staffordshire
Author(s): Daniel Miles, Michael Worthington
Ten timbers were sampled at the Church of St Matthew, Harlaston, Staffordshire : five from the nave and five from the tower bell frame. Four samples from the nave combined to form the 116-ring site master STMNAVE that dated, spanning the years AD 1289-1404. Absence of sapwood precluded the production of a precise felling date, but an estimated felling date range of AD 1415-1438 has been obtained. This supports the suggestion that the roof is not original. Only a single post dated from the tower frame, spanning the years AD 1341-1456. A detached section of sapwood allowed a narrow felling date range of circa AD 1480-85 to be given for this timber. This represents a late use of an archaeic lap-jointed form of timber framing. However, as this timber was clearly reused, it provides a terminus post quem date of after circa AD 1485 for the present frame.
- Report Number:
- 26/2005
- Series:
- CfA Reports
- Pages:
- 16
- Keywords:
- Dendrochronology Standing Building
