Merchant Adventures Hall, Fossgate, York, North Yorkshire: Oxygen Isotope Dendrochronology of Oak Timbers
Author(s): Neil J Loader, Darren Davies, Danny McCarroll, Daniel Miles, Robert Howard, Cathy Tyers, Giles Young
As part of an initiative to investigate the practical extent of the south-central England chronology for isotopic dating, two timbers that had been securely dated by ring-width dendrochronology from the Merchant Adventurers Hall, York were sampled for oxygen isotope analysis. Seventy-eight measurements were obtained on latewood from single growth-rings of core YOR-A05 from a king post, truss 13, (rings 1–78 of the measured ring-width series spanning AD 1265–1346) and 68 measurements were obtained on latewood from single growth-rings of core YORA08 a tie-beam, truss 14 (rings 2–69 of the measured ring-width series spanning AD 1272–1355). The two isotopic series cross-match when offset by two years. This is consistent with the ring-width cross-matching. The 78-year isotopic mean cross-dates (t =7.07, 1/p>1 million, IF>1000) with the south-central England oxygen isotope master chronology, at a position that is compatible with that provided by ring-width dendrochronology. Independently, YOR-A08 cross-dates at a position consistent with the ring-width dendrochronology, (t =7.52, 1/p>1 million, IF>1000). YORA05 returns a tentative result consistent with the ring-width dating (t =5.22, 1/p=1415, IF=63). The location of the Merchant Adventurers Hall in York, well to the north-east of the south-central England master chronology is currently challenging for oxygen isotope dendrochronology. Isotopic analysis has returned dates consistent with ring-width dendrochronology, but this study suggests that whilst secure dating is possible, it may not routinely be obtained from isotopic measurements on single timbers in this region. This demonstrates that an oxygen isotope master chronology for northern England is required to enhance the potential for applying oxygen isotope dendrochronology in this region.
- Report Number:
- 9/2021
- Series:
- Research Report
- Pages:
- 29
- Keywords:
- Dendrochronology Standing Building Oxygen Isotope
