THE TREE-RING DATING OF WHITEFRIARS, COVENTRY
Author(s): Daniel Miles
Twenty timbers were sampled from the roof of the main range of Whitefriars, Coventry, as well as from wall-framing elements of the south-west wing. Of these, all but four samples dated, and were combined to form three independent site master chronologies. The first site master WHTFRS1 spanned the years AD 1334-1474 and was composed of six rafters from the northern four bays and produced two precise felling dates of spring AD 1475. A second site master WHTFRS2 spanning the years AD 1349-1493 was composed of three rafters and a collar from the centre bays of the main range roof. Here three precise felling dates of winter AD 1491/2, spring AD 1493, and winter AD 1493/4 were produced. Finally, two inserted timbers at the south end of the main range together with four samples from the south-west wing were combined to produce the third site master WHTFRS3 spanning the years AD 1445-1547. Here a felling date of summer/autumn AD 1547 and three more from the winter of AD 1547/8 were found. This analysis suggests that either the main cloister roof is all pre-Dissolution, having been rebuilt in two phases about AD 1475 and AD 1494, or that it had been reconstructed about AD 1494 using some secondhand timbers from another roof. After the Dissolution, in about AD 1548, the south-west wing was reconstructed with new timbers to form a staircase and series of smaller rooms, and the end bay of the main range altered.
- Report Number:
- 40/2002
- Series:
- CfA Reports
- Pages:
- 20
- Keywords:
- Dendrochronology Standing Building