Site Event/Activity record ESF21559 - Tree-ring analysis of timbers from Hengrave Hall and Stable Block, Hengrave

Surviving building accounts and a study of the construction of Hengrave Hall and its Stable Block have established that building of much of the existing complex took place during the period AD 1525-36. Dendrochronological analysis of the timbers in various parts of the buildings concur with this overall date range, but the lack of sapwood on datable timbers meant that it was not possible to resolve issues of the sequence of building of the various parts. A single timber in the Queen Elizabeth Room had a felling date in the spring-summer of AD 1536, suggesting that this area was amongst the last areas to be roofed. There is dendrochronological evidence that some individual timbers in the roof over the Queen Elizabeth Room and in the Stable Block were reused. The Stable Block and Gatehouse Range, stylistically very similar and possibly contemporaneous, provide the earliest dated examples of the use of on-edge joists. The site chronology produced provides additional dendrochronological data for Suffolk, which is currently under-represented compared with much of the rest of England. The site chronology matches well with other sites, especially from the neighbouring counties of Norfolk and Essex. Project status: Complete Yes, Validated Yes Previous/Future Work: Previous No, Future Not known Associated Identifiers: Related HER No. HNV 013 NMR No. 1564795 Project Type: Building Recording Methods and Techniques: ''Dendrochronological Survey'' Reason for Investigation: Research Monument Type(s)/Period(s): HALL HOUSE Medieval , STABLE BLOCK Medieval Artefact Type(s)/Period(s): N/A None PROJECT LOCATION Area 500.00 Square metres Grid References: TL8239468541 Point, TL8231868589 Point PROJECT CREATOR(S) Organisation: University College, London Brief originator: None Design originator: English Heritage Director/Manager: Martin Bridge Supervisor: Martin Bridge DIGITAL ARCHIVE Recipient: English Heritage Contents: 'Survey' Media: 'Survey' PAPER ARCHIVE Recipient: National Monuments Record Contents: 'Survey' Media: 'Report' BIBLIOGRAPHY Publication Type: Grey literature (unpublished document/manuscript) Title: TREE-RING ANALYSIS OF TIMBERS FROM HENGRAVE HALL, HENGRAVE, SUFFOLK Author(s)/Editor(s): Bridge, M. C. Other Bibliographic Details: 111/2001 Date: 2001 Issuer/Publisher: English Heritage Place of Issue or Publication: Portsmouth Description: A4 bound report of 17pp (ISSN 1749 8775)