Leicester’s Building, Kenilworth Castle, Castle Green, Kenilworth, Warwickshire: Tree-Ring Analysis of Timbers
Author(s): Robert Howard, Alison Arnold
Dendrochronological analysis was undertaken on 43 of 52 samples obtained from door and window lintels within Leicester’s Building at Kenilworth Castle, and from timber to the landings of a corner turret here (nine of the 52 samples having too few rings for reliable dating purposes). This analysis produced two dated site chronologies, the first comprising nine samples and being 128 rings long, the second comprising 17 samples and being 192 rings long. These ring sequences were respectively dated as spanning the years AD 1423–1550 and AD 1362–1553. Three further samples were dated individually. Of the measured samples, 14 remain ungrouped and undated. Interpretation of the sapwood on the dated samples indicates that while one timber was probably felled in the late-fifteenth century, the vast majority of dated timbers are likely to belong to the construction works undertaken by Robert Dudley, documented as occurring in AD 1570–72 with subsequent alterations undertaken before AD 1575. This analysis thus demonstrates the widespread presence of timbers associated with the primary construction of this building and/or alterations made very shortly afterwards.
- Report Number:
- 46/2015
- Series:
- Research Report
- Pages:
- 58
- Keywords:
- Dendrochronology Standing Building
