What is BARD?

• BARD is a non-profit making internet-based Building Archaeology Research Database (BARD), which is aimed to further develop the age estimation of timber-framed buildings and brick buildings, up to the mid 19th century.
• It provides an easy to use method for recording the key features in buildings, as these key features have known date ranges they help to narrow down the date of construction of a building.
• For individuals BARD can help date your home, but in doing this it also helps identify the development of timber framing and brick buildings, century by century and of regional differences in styles.
• BARD has been developed in a partnership between the Domestic Building Research Group (Surrey) and Tree-Ring Services, any profit is reinvested in its further development and research.

How can i use BARD?

All buildings recorded by the GBRG are added to the Building Archaeological Research Database (BARD). BARD may be accessed free via: http://www.buildingarchaeology.com where the tick-box recording sheet & illustrated glossary are also available free as PDF’s for down load. Please note though you will need a subscription if you would like to amend or enter your own records.

BARD is continuously being up-dated but at the time of writing it has 361 records for buildings in Gloucestershire, of with 64 buildings/or phases in a building have tree-ring dates. The results of our members recording of 103 Westgate Street is on BARD, the building reference number is: GBRG0177. As you can find, some other buildings in Westgate Street have tree-ring dates, but have yet to be recorded. This is something we hope to rectify during building recording days later this year.