Tree-Ring Analysis of Timbers from Rock Farm, Front Street, Wheatley Hill, County Durham
Author(s): Alison Arnold, Robert Howard, Cliff Litton
Analysis undertaken on 19 samples taken from timbers of the roof and ground-floor ceiling of this building resulted in the construction of a single dated site sequence. Site sequence CWHASQ02, of 173 rings, contains 12 samples and spans the period AD 1397-1569. One of the samples has complete sapwood and a felling date of spring AD 1570, with a further six samples also having a felling date range entirely consistent with this felling. A further site sequence, containing two samples, is undated. Tree-ring analysis has shown that the main house ceiling beams and roof are contemporary and are both constructed from trees felled in spring AD 1570. This is unexpected as it had previously been assumed that, whilst the ceiling beams were associated with the primary construction phase, the roof was a later replacement, potentially dating to the late-seventeenth century.
- Report Number:
- 8/2004
- Series:
- CfA Reports
- Pages:
- 19
- Keywords:
- Dendrochronology Standing Building