Sections of Medieval Floor Tile Found Mudlarking on the Thames |
In the 13th century
churches, monasteries, abbeys and later royal palaces and houses of the wealthy
began to use large square, decorated tiles, to cover floors and walkways. ‘Westminster’
tiles were mass produced in London from the 1260s. Penn tiles were also used, named after the Buckinghamshire
village where they were made in large quantities.
The tiles are handmade using clay
high in iron, hence the red colour. The clay was shaped in a wooden mould, one
of over 160 designs was then stamped into the clay. The impressions were filled
with fine white clay. They were left to dry. Most were glazed before they were
fired.
Popular designs were geometric patterns,
heraldry, animals, flowers, birds, monsters and stars. There were both
individual tile designs and those which covered groups of four tiles.
At the beginning of the 14th century production in London
had largely ceased as the initial demand for floor tiles had been satisfied.
Medieval Floor tile 13-14 Century from Museum of London |
Many medieval tiles were taken up
during 19th century restoration – perhaps some ending up in the
Thames, or were they part of the 1666 fire of London debris dumped into the Thames?
Victorian tile manufacturers were
drawn to medieval tile designs and replicated them. Our house is Victorian and
has the original tiled hall way, pictured below, which we now know owes its
origins to medieval artisans.
Victorian tiles, based on medieval designs with evidence of teenagers descent en masse |
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