|
Archaeology:
- Cainhoe Castle, Clophill, Bedfordshire
- charred wood found in remains of
stake and wattle structure covered in peat, possibly dark age
- Coppergate, York, North Yorkshire - Anglo-Saxon/Norman/Medieval
urban occupation
- waterlogged seeds found at floor
level and in wattle layers from what was a possible shed, workshop or
byre
- Coppergate, York, North Yorkshire - Anglo-Scandinavian
urban occupation
- waterlogged buds, catkins
and seeds found in various layers from an urban tenement used
for occupation and dyeing
- Dundurn, Crieff/Lochearnhead, Tayside,
Scotland - 7th century AD Pictish stronghold/fort
- waterlogged seeds found in dumped
flooring & domestic refuse from what was possibly a ditch or hollow
on edge of fort used as midden
- Freswick Castle, Freswick, Caithness,
Highland, Scotland - Late Norse (1000-1300 AD)
- charred wood found in possible
occupation deposit
- Graveney Boat, Graveney, Kent, England
- 10th century wrecked boat
- waterlogged seeds found in wreck
fill (alluvial clay) from around and under keel
- Lloyds Bank York, 6-8 Pavement, York,
North Yorkshire - Anglo-Scandinavian (900-1100 AD)
- waterlogged seeds found in possible
floor layers from stake & wattle building (lots of building phases)
- Lurk Lane, Beverley, 1991, Humberside
- Anglian-Medieval urban occupation/monastic
- waterlogged catkins found in highly
organic ditch fill (dumping of food refuse) dated to 9th century
(800-900 AD)
- Norwich Castle Bailey, Norwich, 1985,
Norfolk - Saxon-Medieval Castle
- waterlogged seeds found in dark
brown organic (basal) well fill from a rectangular shaft cut through
chalk dated to Late Saxon (1000-1075 AD)
- River Exe, St Thomas, Exeter, Devon
- waterlogged buds, cones,
leaves and seeds found in floodplain deposits dated to
Early Medieval (900-1300 AD)
- The Bedern York, York, North Yorkshire
- Anglian 580-900 AD (possibly abandoned area of town)
- waterlogged buds and catkins
found in pit/depression fills from waste ground environment + some human
influence
- Waltham Abbey, Waltham Abbey, Essex -
Saxo-Norman-Medieval monastic forge
- waterlogged wood found as well
lining
- Silchester 1900-08, nr Reading, Hampshire
- Roman c5AD-c450AD urban settlement
- waterlogged wood found in well
and pit fills
- The Bedern York, York, North Yorkshire
- Roman 300- 450 AD
- waterlogged buds found in well
fill (nearby vegetation represented plus various rubbish)
|
|
Uses:
|
Medicinal
|
Other
|
|
Wið þære
adle þe mon hæt circul adl genim . . . ælces treowes
dæl þe man begitan mæg butan hægþorne
7 alore . . .
Against the disease that people called
circle disease (shingles) take . . . all trees portions that people
may get except hawthorn and alder . . .
Wið milte seocum men
. . . aleres rinde seoþ on wætre . . .
For spleen sick people . . . alder's
bark seethe it in water . . .
Wið poccum
. . . alor drenc drype on innan . . .
Against pocks . . . alder drink drip
into . . .
Wið flie
oxan slyppan niþewearde 7 alor rinde wylle on buteran.
Against a white spot in the eye ox-slips
botom and alder rind boil in butter.
|
The powdered bark has been used as
an ingredient of toothpastes and sticks of the bark have been chewed
as tooth cleaners.
An ink and a tawny-red dye are obtained
from the bark. A green dye is obtained from the catkins. A pinkish-fawn
dye is obtained from the fresh green wood. A yellow dye is obtained
from the bark and young shoots. A cinnamon dye is obtained from
the shoots if they are harvested in March. If they are dried and
powdered then the colour will be a tawny shade.
The bark and the fruits contain up
to 20% tannin, but they also contain so much dyestuff (imparting
a dark red shade) that this limits their usefulness. The leaves
are also a good source of tannin.
The leaves are clammy and, if spread
in a room, are said to catch fleas and flies on their glutinous
surface.
Wood - very durable in water, elastic,
soft, fairly light, easily worked, easily split. It is often used
for situations where it has to remain underwater, i.e. for bowls
and spoons. The wood also makes a good charcoal.
|
|
