HER 5844 - Ash and Willow Cottages: Wealden House

Ash and Willow Cottages together make up a three bay 'Wealden' house, the centre having been an open hall. Both end bays jetty forward with moulded bressurnrners which were originally decorated with pairs of curved down braces. There is evidence for a tall hall window. The roof was hipped, with the two crown posts braced downwards to the tie beams with long, curved braces. The only longitudinal braces from the crown posts to the collar purlin are over the centre hall bay.

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Archaeological History

Activity	Person & Organisation	Dates
timber sampling	Moir, A K Tree-Ring Services	2004-07-09
Location Surrey, Guildford, Shere, Grid Reference TQ 072 478 Associated Sources Title Author Type More info Published by Tree-Ring Services, Orpington, Kent Moir, A K document more... Reference DENDROCHRONOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF OAK TIMBERS FROM ASH AND WILLOW COTTAGES, SHERE, SURREY, ENGLAND. Reference 02/09/04 Reference Ash and Willow Cottages together make up a three bay 'Wealden' house, the centre having been an open hall. Both end bays jetty forward with moulded bressurnrners which were originally decorated with pairs of curved down braces. There is evidence for a tall hall window. The roof was hipped, with the two crown posts braced downwards to the tie beams with long, curved braces. The only longitudinal braces from the crown posts to the collar purlin are over the centre hall bay. All nine timbers sampled are dated and seven are combined to form a 117-year site chronology spanning AD 1377 to AD 1493. The timbers from the primary construction phase produce two precise felling dates in the winter of AD 1493/4. The sapwood evidence of the seven other timbers sampled is consistent with this felling; hence it is likely that construction commenced during AD 1494 or soon after. Considerable variations in age composition, growth rates and cross-matching between the samples suggest the timbers came from either different sources or possibly a source with varying ecological conditions. Nevertheless, the site chronology matches well with reference chronologies established in both the immediate and surrounding area, which indicates that most of the timbers are from a relatively local source(s). Reference Extract of report held in SMR Tree-Ring Services Report: SHWC/22/04 Holding Location Report in Surrey History Centre. 1 part

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