Dendrochronology project - Museum of Gloucester / Swansea University

Scientists from Swansea University - Recording samples taken from Museum.

Measuring the annual rings of a wood sample.

We are incredibly excited to announce that in 2025 the Museum of Gloucester began an amazing collaboration with a team of scientists from Swansea University’s Department of Geography. Analysing timber samples from around the UK, the Quercus project aims to:

1. Advance the emerging field of stable oxygen isotope dating across the UK and into new regions (e.g. Aotearoa New Zealand, USA, Spain, the Netherlands and Scandinavia)

2. Enhance and extend the UK dating reference chronology to cover the last 5000 years

3. Improve understanding of UK climatic change through time

During the summer of 2025, 20 timber samples from the collections at the Museum of Gloucester were taken to Swansea for detailed dendrochronological analysis. Some exciting results are beginning to emerge – keep an eye out for further posts and details.