Church of St Laurence, Alvechurch, Worcestershire:Tree-Ring Analysis of Timbers from the Belfry Floor
Author(s): Alison Arnold, Robert Howard
Samples were taken from four primary (or main) beams and five secondary (or common) joists of the belfry floor. Analysis undertaken on these resulted in the successful dating of two timbers. One of the primary beams was found to span the period AD 1511–1665 and to have been felled in AD 1666–71. The second timber, a common joist, was found to span the period AD 1602–68, with an estimated felling date within the range AD 1669–93. These two timbers may represent separate fellings or, as their felling date ranges overlap, it is possible that they were felled contemporaneously, some time within the range AD 1669–71. With the tower, housing the belfry, known to have been rebuilt in AD 1676, these results demonstrate that the floor containing these two timbers is likely to have been inserted as part of this work.
- Report Number:
- 45/2009
- Series:
- Research Department Reports
- Pages:
- 28
- Keywords:
- Dendrochronology Standing Building
