Willimoteswick, Bardon Mill, Northumberland: Tree-Ring Analysis of Timbers
Author(s): Alison Arnold, Robert Howard
Tree-ring analysis was undertaken on samples from timbers of the East range roof (north and south parts) and floor (south) and from the North range roof, resulting in the construction and dating of a single site sequence. This site sequence contains 36 samples and spans the period AD 1330–1575. The East range (south) roof is constructed from timbers felled in AD 1491–1514 whilst the North range roof contains timbers felled in AD 1498–1523. The similarity of these felling date ranges means these two structures are broadly coeval, with the possibility that the North range slightly post-dates the East range (south) roof. The floor frame of the East range (south) is now thought to have been constructed in AD 1575, utilising reused timber of the late-fifteenth/early sixteenth century, possibly from the original building, for some of the smaller, common joists. The latest roof is that of the East range (north) where timber has been dated to AD 1575. The dendrochronology has demonstrated that construction of all three parts under investigation, and thus by association the gatehouse, was undertaken over a period of less than 100 years.
- Report Number:
- 87/2009
- Series:
- Research Department Reports
- Pages:
- 59
- Keywords:
- Dendrochronology Standing Building
