York Historic Environment Record

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). 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.