St Mary's Church, Cratfield, Suffolk: Tree-Ring Analysis of Timbers
Author(s): Dr Martin Bridge
A windlass and its supporting structure were investigated. Only two timbers were found to be suitable for sampling from the windlass and none from either the associated floor or ladder. Although these two timbers cross-matched to form an 89-year site chronology, this could not be dated. Seven timbers from the bellframe were sampled. Two were found to have come from the same tree, and six series were combined into a 137-year site chronology that dated to the period AD 1503–1639. Four timbers retained complete sapwood and were found to have been felled in the period summer AD 1639 to summer AD 1640. Subsequently, churchwardens’ records revealed extensive ‘worke about the frame and the bells’ in AD 1640–1, paid for in October AD 1640.
- Report Number:
- 30/2008
- Series:
- Research Department Reports
- Pages:
- 11
- Keywords:
- Dendrochronology Standing Building
