DENDROCHRONOLOGY

Dendrochronology is the dating of timbers by means of the tree ring pattern in the cross-sections of the timber. There is a database of buildings in Herefordshire which have had timbers so dated accumulated by the Vernacular Architecture Group which is hosted by the Archaeology Data Service. Use the Herefordshire Through Time search to see if a particular building has had a report done, for example Pembridge.

Selecting the timbers to be dated in a building needs expertise - the timber has to be identified, for example - and the dating is carried out by private companies e.g. Tree-Ring Services. This makes the process very expensive and most surveys that have been carried out in Herefordshire have been grant-aided. Even where good samples with sufficient ranges of rings are obtained, there is no guarantee that the ring pattern can be matched with any on the database. Parts of the county have micro-climates not matched elsewhere, and unless a nearby dated building can also be surveyed matches may not be found. It is thrilling, though, when an actual felling date can be found.

A number of village projects have been funded and the results can be found.