3 Methodology

The primary source of data was derived from a collection of dendrochronologically dated houses in Hampshire derived from the book Hampshire Houses by Edward Roberts (Roberts 2003, 227-51) the dates in his book were dated by dendrochronologist, Dr Daniel Miles of the Oxford Dendrochronology Laboratory (www.dendrochronology.com). As the book was published in 2003, it was also necessary to source further dendrochronologically dated houses from the journal, Vernacular Architecture published by the Vernacular Architecture Group, through their online database hosted by the Archaeological Data Service (http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/specColl/vag_dendro/) and the website of the Oxford Dendrochronology Laboratory (op. cit.).

Before any fieldwork could be undertaken it was necessary to plan for the types of data that would be collected over the course of the project and decide how they would be recorded and managed. Rua suggests that at present, reliable digital data is hard to source (Rua 2009, 224) therefore the types of data available were both:

from analogue sources

text (from Mr E Roberts and other published works)
drawn plans (from Mr E Roberts and other published works)
photographs (mainly obtained from homeowners)
maps (various published works)
field notes (from Mr E Roberts, Dr J Crook and the author)
dendrochronological dates (Mr E Roberts, Dr D Miles and the Vernacular Architecture Group’s website)

and

from digital sources

database (created by digitising the analogue data)
digital photographs (taken by the author during survey)
maps (by combining digitised analogue maps with maps from the Edina website)
GPS data (recorded in the field via a handheld GPS device)

As the data existed in both analogue and digital media, a method for combing both data types into one format was needed. This enables the user to combine past data with present and future data simultaneously (Eiteljorg II and Limp 2008, 238). It was decided to use a computer based methodology that would act as an interface between entering data and disseminating the results. This would be achieved by digitising all the analogue sources so they could be stored on one hard drive alongside the ‘true’ digital data. The methods of this conversion from analogue to digital data will be addressed in the following Section. The results of various questioning and statistical analysis could then be output back in analogue form for publishing and dissemination in the thesis.

3.1 Creating a strategy for the survey and recording of data

The recording of historic buildings is a well established discipline with several guidelines published by various organisations already listed in 4.1. Table 5 covers the main points of the specifications for recording historic buildings in England published in 1996 by the Royal Commission for Historic Monuments of England, and Table 6 shows the revised edition published in 2006 by English Heritage.

Level	Record	Written	Drawings	Photographic
1	Visual	Simple record	Sketch (generally exteriors only)	General
2	Descriptive	Basic record	Scaled plans	General (external and internal)
3	Analytical	Full record	Scaled plans, sections, measured details	Comprehensive
(RCHME 1996) 4	Comprehensive	Full record	Scaled plans, sections, measured details, elevations, reconstructions	comprehensive

Level	Record type	Written	Drawings	Photographic
1	Basic visual record, typically of the exterior only	Basic description of the location, age and type.	Sketch of basic floor plan	1 or 2 basic photographs of the exterior
2	Descriptive record	More descriptive than level 1 with a basic conclusion regarding the buildings development and use, but need not include evidence for such assumptions	Drawing of the elevation and plan	Several photographs of the exterior and interior
3	Analytical record	An introductory description followed by a systematic account of the buildings origins, development and use ad provide evidence of such	As many drawings as necessary to illustrate the buildings appearance and provide evidence for the written record	As many photographs as necessary to illustrate the buildings appearance and provide evidence for the written record
4	Comprehensive analytical record	This is usually reserved for buildings of special importance and will draw on information gained from desk based survey and field work	Full measured drawings of all elevations and special features	Enough photographs to record the building adequately to supplement the drawings and illustrate and record special features
Photo-graphic	Visual with basic description and sketches. This is accepted for buildings under no threat	Brief written record to supplement the photographs and record special features	Drawings of the basic plan to detail where the photographs were taken and any additional measurements	A comprehensive set of photographs to adequately catalogue all the important features and details

Although this research required the recording of buildings through survey, it involved the recording of specific elements independent of the overall structure. In planning the survey it was important to bear these generalised guidelines in mind, but equally important was the need to create a recording strategy that would be flexible enough to adapt to the project’s main aims (Rua 2009, 224). As the main element of inquiry was the joints that held the main frame together, and their typology, a recording strategy based on the requirements of a photographic survey, outlined above (Table 6 op. cit.) was drawn up that could adapt to the various data types. Therefore, it was necessary to formulate a structured survey plan, prior to undertaking any work, to ensure all the relevant data would be recorded in one trip, thus mitigating any inconvenience to the owners of the properties. As there would be only one person undertaking the survey; the recording strategy was never formalised beyond the author and the project’s supervisory panel.

Not all the photographs were used in the record as this was 115, only those of significance were included, but the rest remain archived. The resulting images are all available on the accompanying website
http://www.medievalarchitecture.net/photo_archive.html. The digital record contains photographs, accompanied by basic sketches and information gathered in the field. Often external sources, such as illustrations and plans were embedded into the record help illustrate the locations of joints and features. Many of the buildings had previously been surveyed and plans drawn prior to this work, most notably by Mr Edward Roberts and published in his book Hampshire Houses (Roberts 2003). It was not necessary therefore to replicate his work, only to complement it by recording joints and structural elements which were omitted from Mr Roberts’s research which focussed mainly on floor plans and their dating and development. His book therefore works as a companion to this research and vice versa.

Following the collection and subsequent digitisation of the information, a Database was established using Microsoft Access®. This database was then populated with all the entries from the Gazetteer of Dated Buildings in Hampshire Houses 1250-1700 (Roberts 2003, 227-51) and the updates provided via the Oxford Dendrochronology Laboratory web site (www.dendrochronology.com). The database was then queried to provide a list of all suitable buildings that would provide a chronology ranging from 1250 to 1530 AD. The final selection included 110 barns, houses and shops within Hampshire, together with the Cathedral. Of these 110 buildings 25 (24%) dated to before the Black Death (1348-50) and 85 (76%) dated after the Black Death. Alongside this, 9 various structures (see Table 8 Buildings surveyed outside Hampshire dates shown are dendrochronological not stylistic) originally dated stylistically by Hewett in Essex and West Sussex, have also been tested to assess his assumptions in the light of dendrochronology (see Chapter 6.1 for a discussion of this). The selection of the appropriate structures was based on significant joints and structural features that have been dendrochronologically dated by Dr Daniel Miles of the Oxford Dendrochronology Laboratory (www.dendrochronology.com); the dates of which are at least 95% accurate (Miles 2003b, 221; Millard 2002, 137). Thus, the statistical models created within this research are also at least 95% accurate.

Once the structures were selected, a spreadsheet was created in Microsoft Excel to manage the property addresses and enable subsequent statistical analysis. Because all of the properties identified in the previous step were already dated by dendrochronology, the survey was non-intrusive. That is to say, no samples needed taking, only measurements, hand drawings and digital images. It was deemed necessary to stress this point to mitigate any fear on the owners’ side as the previous study by Mr Edward Roberts and Dr Daniel Miles did of course take cores for dating.

3.1.1 The list of structures surveyed during this research

Table 7 A list of the structures surveyed and their dates (All dates shown below, unless marked with an * are felling dates not construction dates, and are taken from the lower estimate, those marked with an * are derived from documentation and no dendro samples were taken – only 4 examples).

Lower felling date	Upper felling date	Building name	Town	Tile	Easting	Northing

1244	1249	Manor Farm	Hambledon	SU	646	151
1246	1250	Winchester Cathedral	Winchester	SU	483	293
1249	1250	The Stables	Wherwell	SU	392	406
1256	1256	King Johns House	Romsey	SU	3522	2127
1279	1311	15 High St	Fareham	SU	575	64
1282	1284	Manor "Barn"	Rockbourne	SU	115	183
1283	1293	42 Chesil St	Winchester	SU	48687	29109
1291	1333	Marwell Hall	Owslebury	SU	508	217
1296	1304	West Court Manor Barn	Binsted	SU	76542	41157
1300	1300	Monks Cottage, 111 High St	Odiham	SU	740	511
1300	1300	Pilgrims Hall	Winchester	SU	48251	29109
1301	1301	Manor Farm	Kings Somborne	SU	367	314
1311	1312	1 Somersets Cottage	Bentley	SU	78314	43952
1315	1315	West Court Manor House	Binsted	SU	76542	41157
1316	1352	42 High St	Winchester	SU	482	297
1317	1336	6 Farnham Road	Odiham	SU	745	512
1318	1350	Dairy Cottage	Mottisfont	SU	324	268
1321	1322	Manor Farm	Michelmersh	SU	353	265
1325	1327	Riversdown	Warnford	SU	603	248
1328	1329	The Manor House	Burghclere	SU	469	579
1333	1336	64 High St, Alton	Alton	SU	716	393
1333	1333	Tudor House	East Meon	SU	678	222
1334	1335	Church Farm House	West Tytherley	SU	276	298
1335	1336	Lords and Ladies	Dogmersfield	SU	786	529
1339	1340	35 High St, Boots the Chemist	Winchester	SU	48152	29470
1342	1374	13, 15 The Abbey	Romsey	SU	352	213
1347	1379	St Marys Church	Crawley	SU	424	349
1348	1350	The Black Death
1359	1360	Trees Cottage	Froxfield	SU	706	261
1360	1360	Tan-y-Bryn	Hannington	SU	540	555
1363	1372	Moysents, Bank St	Bishops Waltham	SU	556	176
1366	1366	The Old Church House	Odiham	SU	73977	51001
1368	1369	Lodge Farm	Odiham	SU	73643	52564
1382	1384	Cruck Cottage	North Warnborough	SU	730	515
1390	1412	St Catherine's Church	Littleton	SU	454	329
1393	1396	The Old Vicarage	Odiham	SU	73868	51049
1395*	1397*	Court House	East Meon	SU	68231	22731
1400	1400	Manisty Cottage, 19-21 High St	Odiham	SU	743	512
1400	1402	Shepherds Cottage / Oakholme	North Warnborough	SU	730	515
1405	1405	The Mount	Silchester	SU	645	627
1407	1409	The Abbey Barn, Fernhill Farm	Titchfield	SU	539	66
1412	1413	Pembroke Cottage	Hartley Wespall	SU	694	585
1420	1424	The Nook	Dummer	SU	584	458
1428*	1428*	Tudor Merchants Hall	Southampton	SU	41942	11169
1431	1435	Parsonage Farm	Overton	SU	506	495
1435	1435	Segensworth Barn	Titchfield	SU	54201	7097
1440	1441	4 Bell St	Whitchurch	SU	463	481
1440	1441	Garden Cottage	West Meon	SU	641	238
1440	1460	Haseley Manor	Arreton, Isle of Wight	SU	547	857
1441	1444	6-8 West End	Sherborne St John	SU	618	558
1441	1441	Summers Farm Barn	Long Sutton	SU	752	471
1444	1446	Thatched Cottage	North Warnborough	SU	731	519
1445	1477	Falcons, Newbury Road	Kingsclere	SU	5249	5873
1445*	1453*	The Angel Inn, Andover	Andover	SU	365	456
1446	1447	1 King St	Odiham	SU	742	511
1447	1448	Place House Cottage	Titchfield	SU	543	66
1447	1448	Strete Farm	North Warnborough	SU	732	521
1448	1480	Park View	Tichborne	SU	57172	30559
1448	1462	The Great Hall	Winchester	SU	478	295
1448	1449	The Swan Hotel	Kingsclere	SU	524	585
1449	1449	Home Farm Barn	Chawton	SU	708	371
1450	1451	Manor Farm Barn	Burghclere	SU	469	579
1451	1483	Little Thatches	Ashley	SU	384	311
1453	1455	Ivied Cottage, 64 High St	Odiham	SU	74155	51109
1459	1464	33 and 34 High St	Winchester	SU	483	297
1459	1459	The Priors' Hall	Winchester	SU	482	292
1462	1463	101-102 High St, Godbegot	Winchester	SU	48049	29497
1464	1466	Goleigh Manor	Priors' Dean	SU	73471	31300
1468	1492	The Beehive, 2 Bell St	Whitchurch	SU	463	481
1473	1474	The George Inn, 100 High St	Odiham	SU	741	511
1476	1478	Castle Bridge Cottages	North Warnborough	SU	732	520
1476	1477	Gainsborough House, 67-69 High St	Odiham	SU	741	511
1479	1479	Priory Stables	Winchester	SU	482	291
1485	1485	Moorhouse Farm	Headley	SU	831	389
1486	1487	Rye Cottage	Mapledurwell	SU	684	516
1491	1496	Abbots Barton Farmhouse	Winchester	SU	485	305
1492*	1492*	Tudor House Museum	Southampton	SU	41873	11278
1493	1493	Mottisfont Abbey Farm Cottage	Mottisfont	SU	324	268
1493	1493	Wheelers	Odiham	SU	754	507
1496	1496	Court Farm Barn	Overton	SU	514	500
1496	1498	Witney Farm Barn	Hartley Wintney	SU	777	553
1500	1501	23 High St, Alton	Alton	SU	716	395
1505	1505	Court Farm House	Overton	SU	514	500
1506	1507	2 Park Lane	Lower Froyle	SU	763	440
1508	1508	43 High St	Winchester	SU	482	297
1508	1508	Priory Farm Barn, Pamber	Monk Sherborne	SU	609	582
1510	1538	Great Funtley Farm	Titchfield	SU	554	90
1514	1514	Southwick Barn	Southwick	SU	626	87
1524	1524	Tudor Farm House	Deane	SU	549	503
1524	1526	The Vyne	Sherborne St John	SU	633	563
1527	1527	Church Cottage, Church Street	Basingstoke	SU	636	521
1528	1529	Bere Farm	Warnford	SU	626	253
1529	1530	The Old Manor, Ashley	Ashley	SU	384	311
1574	1575	Home Farm Barn	Farleigh Wallop	SU	623	468

Geographical distribution of dated buildings

Figure 13 shows a distribution map of the buildings used in this study. As the map suggests, the sample shows a good distribution over most of the county, with the exception of the New Forest which has no dated examples. The map also shows a map of the simplified geology. The maps shows a tendency for buildings on the chalk downland certainly were the south of the county is concerned. Figure 14 however, shows the distribution of buildings that have been surveyed during the course of the project, showing a good sample across the whole county and will form the base for the discussion of the data in Chapter 6.

Table 8 Buildings surveyed outside Hampshire

Felling Date	Building	County
1188	Chichester Cathedral	West Sussex
1205-35	Barley Barn, Cressing Temple	Essex
1237-70	Grange Barn, Coggeshall	Essex
1257-80	Wheat Barn, Cressing Temple	Essex
1300-30	Sompting church	West Sussex
1334-79	Bradford-Upon-Avon Tithe Barn	Wiltshire
1390	Guild Hall, Thaxted	Essex
1398	The Bull Inn, Halstead	Essex
1450	Prior’s Hall Barn	Essex

Figure 13 A map showing the distribution of dated buildings in Hampshire
(Map complied by the Author using ESRI ArcView, Edina Digimap 2008)

Figure 14 A distribution map of all buildings surveyed during thesis

(Map complied by the Author using ESRI ArcView, Edina Digimap 2009)