Kingsbury Hall, Kingsbury, Warwickshire, Tree-Ring Analysis of Timbers
Author(s): Alison Arnold, Robert Howard, Cliff Litton
Prior to tree-ring analysis being undertaken on the roofs and ground and first-floor ceilings of the South, East, and West Range of this building, these were thought to be the result of a substantial rebuilding undertaken in the early-seventeenth century. Dendrochronological analysis of samples taken from the timbers representing this rebuilding has resulted in the construction and dating of a single site sequence, KNGHSQ01. This site sequence contains 39 samples and spans the period AD 1391–1564. Six of these timbers were felled in AD 1563 and a seventh in AD 1564. Interpretation of the heartwood/sapwood boundary points to a further 29 of these dated samples having a felling date range also consistent with a felling of AD 1563/4. Tree-ring analysis has shown the roofs of all three ranges to be contemporary with each other and with the flooring of the building. Additionally, it has been shown that rather than occurring in the early-seventeenth century, this work was undertaken early in the second half of the sixteenth century, making Kingsbury Hall an early example of a double-pile building in England.
- Report Number:
- 53/2006
- Series:
- Research Department Reports
- Pages:
- 36
- Keywords:
- Dendrochronology Standing Building
