Site Event/Activity record EEM14691 - 2015: Den - The Old Priory

The building was subject to dendrochronological dating in 2015 by Tree-Ring Services, which provided a felling date range of 1270-1302. This stone walled building lies immediately to the north of the nave of the Priory church, in the vicinity of the demolished cloister. The building is L shaped in plan and consists of a north to south oriented west range and an east to west oriented south range, which is thought to be later. The west range is stone built. Internally the roof is of four bays, but the north end of the building has been lost to fire and the roof may have extended further. The trusses over the southern part of this range are steeply pitched and of arch braced construction, with cranked collars. It is thought likely that the trusses are of raised cruck construction, but they are concealed at the wall head. The apexes of the principal rafters are truncated and tenoned into a triangular saddle which connected the principals, apparently without a ridge piece. The roof has a single set of in line butt purlins on each side, without mouldings or chamfers. These carry curved windbraces. The roof shows light smoke blackening, suggesting use as an open hall or a kitchen. Dating commissioned by Tim Taylor, as part of Dunster Dig Village.