The Radcliffe Camera, Oxford, Oxfordshire: The Tree-Ring Dating of the Timber Roof of the Dome
Author(s): Daniel Miles, Michael Worthington
Fourteen timbers associated with the roof structure of the Radcliffe Camera dome, Oxford, were sampled. Eleven samples were combined to form the 81-ring site master RADCLIFF, which was dated to AD 1660–1740. Six of the samples retained complete sapwood: five were felled in winter AD 1740/41 and one in early spring AD 1741. The five samples without complete sapwood were found to have felling date ranges consistent with these precise felling dates. Documentary evidence indicates that although the decision to substitute a timber roof for the planned stone dome was taken in April 1741, there was a delay in construction of over a year. Thus the timber used in the dome appears to have been felled over 12 months in advance of construction.
- Report Number:
- 97/2007
- Series:
- Research Department Reports
- Pages:
- 21
- Keywords:
- Dendrochronology Standing Building
