Tree ring expert brought in to date what is believed to be the oldest secular building in Southwick

The Southwick Society has always thought Manor Cottage was a 15th century building, sitting on the ancient road of Southwick Street.

The society took a lease on the cottage in 1983 and after much restoration, opened it as a heritage centre in 1994.

Mary Candy, chairman, said: "The design of the building, with its crown post timber roof, is a style which went out of fashion in the 16th century. It has long been the hope to determine the exact date of the building.

"The cottage was built as a single-aisled hall house and has been extended over the years, particularly in the 17th century when an inglenook chimney and extra rooms were added. Later divided into two dwellings, it was lived in until 1963."

Dr Martin Bridge from Oxford Dendrochronology Laboratory visited Manor Cottage in March and took eight core samples from the original beams.

Mary explained: "The basis of dendrochronological dating is that trees of the same species, growing at the same time, in similar habitats, produce similar ring-width patterns.

"The core samples taken can therefore be compared with a data bank of samples to determine a date at which the tree was felled."

Four of the eight samples taken by Dr Bridge were able to produce dates and he concluded that the likely felling date range was 1486 to 1491.

He was also confident that green wood was used in the construction – in other words the timber was used as soon as it was felled.

Mary said: "This means we can date the cottage to just before Columbus discovered America. There was no guarantee that a result could be obtained, as a sample core with at least 50 rings is required.

"So we are delighted that Dr Bridge was able to date some of the samples and we now have an accurate date for the construction of the Manor Cottage.”

The Manor Cottage Heritage Centre opens every Saturday morning from May 31 until August 30 from 10.30am to 12.30pm. The first exhibition is about Southwick schools. Admission is free.