Medieval Floor and Roof Tiles from Melrose Abbey,Scottish Borders,and the ‘Westminster Tilers’

Abstract

AN ASSEMBLAGE OF more than 2500 fragments of tile was recovered from within the precinct of Melrose Abbey during excavations in 2009. The collection includes a large group of decorated floor tiles, the designs of which have links with the ‘Westminster School’, and which are unlike any other previously excavated at the abbey. This paper places the group in context and considers the implications of the find.     

Paper 6: Grouting Mortars for Fragmented Bricks and Repair Mortars for Tiles in the Archaeological Site Coudenberg

Abstract

Different grouting and repair mortars were developed and evaluated for the conservation and restoration of fragmented bricks in the walls and floors of the remaining cellars underneath the Aula Magna, the palace’s main banqueting hall, and to fill the lacunae and perform edge repairs of red and blue-grey ceramic floor tiles in the remaining cellars underneath the chapel of the former Palace of Coudenberg in Brussels, Belgium.

To prevent the deposition of lime bloom at the surface of the masonry and to achieve an acceptable colour match of the grout in harmony with the bricks of the Aula Magna, the effect of brick powder added to natural hydraulic lime was studied. The pozzolanic properties and colour match of several historic and modern powdered bricks were investigated. Surprisingly, ancient bricks do not seem to possess higher pozzolanic properties than the more modern ones, although it is supposed that they were fired at lower temperatures. Additional evidence for the pozzolanic reaction of the different brick powder materials was obtained from a simple visual observation of stored samples. After eight weeks all of the samples containing brick powders, fired at low and high temperatures, added to putty lime had hardened under water and were transformed into a remarkably tough material. These results are important, as modern bricks are readily available in large quantities and different colours, which are hence in favour of being used instead of historical material from the site.

For the repair of the ceramic floor tiles different mortars were investigated with mixtures containing talcum, stone or brick powder, pigments, and chalk added to an epoxy binder. The mortars were tested in the laboratory and in situ for their workability and resemblance with the historic floor tiles. The finished mortars showed excellent aesthetic properties with the tiles in situ and good properties to prevent further loss due to human interaction.     

The Godwins of Lugwardine,and the Other Hereford Tile Makers

Abstract

Tiles were made in Hereford in Roman and in Medieval times, and the manufacture of plain quarry tiles from plastic clay maintained the tradition and technique of tile-making. During the nineteenth century the Gothic Revival stimulated the production of decorated tiles and Godwins began to make them. The firm is not as well known as some of its competitors such as Maw and Minton, but its tiles were much admired and widely used, and can still be seen in good condition in a surprisingly large number of churches. Standard reference books, give 1861 as the starting date for Godwin tiles, but the writer noticed that they had been used in 1857 in Giles Gilbert Scott's restoration of Hereford cathedral, and is attempting in this paper to give an outline of the rather complicated history of the Godwins and the other Hereford tile makers. The tile industry which began in 1850 has been an important source of employment in the Hereford area until the present day.     

A Late 13th and Early 14th-Century Tile Factory at Danbury,Essex

THE EXCAVATION of a practically complete medieval tile factory, in operation between c. 1275/85 and 1325/35, is described. The establishment comprised three buildings, interpreted as workmen's accommodation (A), a workshop (B), and a drying shed (C), together with two kilns, within a ditched roadside enclosure. The kilns were of the normal type, with two parallel flues; one had a walled stokepit reached by a tile staircase. The methods of tile manufacture and firing are discussed, the conclusions being partially supported by experimental evidence. The patterns of the decorated tiles are seen as derivatives of the Chertsey-Westminster School, mostly via the 13th-century ‘Central Essex Group’; a relationship with Penn is also suggested. Distribution of Danbury products is largely confined to the Chelmer valley, but a waterborne distribution is suggested by a group of floor tiles from Virginia Water, Surrey.     

Boole Reviews

Abstract

The roof of the Archaic Temple of Poseidon (early 7th century B.C.) at the Sanctuary of Poseidon on the Corinthian Isthmus in Greece was covered by unusually large terracotta tiles. The construction of a stone temple with a tile roof represented a major advance in building design. The tiles themselves are representative of the growth in technology at that time. Reproduction of the tiles was recently undertaken as a demonstration of the tools, skills, and manpower requirements of the new technology. It is shown here that a relatively small group of men using local materials could make all of the tiles and the kiln(s) to fire them in less than two years. The major innovation was the design of the mold.     

Forty-Third Annual Congress,Darlington and Bishop Auckland, 1886

Abstract

Although the wall-paintings in the three first floor bedrooms and the connecting passage at Ellys Manor House, Great Ponton (SK 927 304), have been known to exist for a considerable time and are amongst the most extensive and important of their period in the country, very little has been written about them and no attempt has been made to co-ordinate the information that is available.     

The Origin of the use of the Tin‐Glazed Earthenware Technique in the Production of the French Medieval Pavement of Suscinio

The medieval pavement found in its original state and place at the Breton castle of Suscinio is an interesting case study for answering questions about the origin of the tin‐glazed earthenware technique in France. Twenty‐eight decorated tiles (with transparent and tin‐opacified glazes) and eight clayey raw materials were examined using chemical and microstructural approaches involving petrographic, SEM–EDS and XRD analyses. By combining the results of provenance and technological studies with historical and archaeological data, it was possible to conclude that the pavement was a local product, made with imported technological skills, rather than an imported product or the result of local experimentation.     

Prehistoric Footprints in Jaguar Cave,Tennessee

Abstract

About 4500 years ago, during the Late Archaic period, nine explorers reconnoitered several passages within a large cave in north central Tennessee. Although prehistoric cave exploration was not unusual in eastern North America, this particular trip is unique because 274 footprints of these ancient cavers are preserved in the damp floor sediment of a side passage. Analyses of the route taken by the explorers, and of their footprint trail significantly enhance our knowledge of cave use in prehistoric eastern North America.     

Observations on the Ancient City Walls of Rochester

Abstract

A recent survey of the floor-tiles of Cleeve Abbey has revealed a much larger range of designs and fabric groups than had previously been assumed. The style of the earliest pavements derive from those laid at Clarendon Palace in the first half of the 13th century, and may have been made on site. In the late 13th century tiles of high quality were imported from the Gloucester region to pave the frater. The next group of tiles came from a Somerset tilery operating at the same time or just after the Gloucestershire tilery. By c. 1330 the entire church was paved along with the sacristy and chapterhouse, using tiles made by a local industry. There was no revival of tile-making after the mid-14th century.     

Original Documents.-No. I

St Faith’s chapel is situated beyond the south wall of the south transept of the Gothic abbey church, built by King Henry III (r. 1216–72) at Westminster. The chamber’s paintings, corbel heads and the use of Purbeck marble for wall shafts and corbels, together with 13th-century floor tiles, mark it out as a locus of high status. The paper promotes the claims of St Faith’s chapel to have been the sacristy and vestry of the Benedictine church through an examination of its fittings, sculpture and painted decoration.     

STUDIES OF CERAMIC TILES ATTRIBUTED TO GABRIEL DEL BARCO

This study reports the mineralogical and chemical characterization of the ceramic body of tiles created by Gabriel del Barco, an important tile painter in Lisbon from the 17th century. Six tile panels were studied: four are signed and two are attributed to the painter. The results obtained from the signed panels revealed that the samples have almost the same characteristics, with a magnesium‐rich phase, meaning that the artist, or the pottery where the tiles were made, kept to the same manufacturing procedure over some time. In contrast to this, the results of samples from the masterpiece Vista de Lisboa showed some heterogeneity, as two patterns were observed. However, one of these patterns matches with the one observed in the signed tile panels. Although a more detailed study still needs to be done, these findings, together with historical sources linked to painting characteristics, suggest that Gabriel del Barco was also the author of the non‐signed tiles.     

A 17th-Century Kiln Site at Potterspury,Northamptonshire

Abstract

This report describes the excavation in 1965 of two adjacent wood-fired pottery kilns producing decorated and undecorated coarse wares and glazed fine wares during the second half of the 17th century. One kiln was of single flue type; the other, larger kiln, was double flued. The post-medieval kilns at Potterspury in Northamptonshire are reasonably well documented and it seems fairly certain that the kilns at present under discussion belonged to Leonard Benton. Their working lives began slightly before 1646 and terminated shortly after 1664. The products of the kiln are very diverse and include a great variety of the lead glazed, slip decorated wares which bear remarkable similarities to the Metropolitan wares of the London area and to the late 17th-century slip wares of Yorkshire.     

Francis Weston,F.S.A.

Abstract

The subject of tile-tombs is one not often discussed in archaeological journals. From time to time amongst the quantities of tiles which are excavated, enigmatic fragments are found which can be interpreted as grave markers, in the manner of a memorial brass. Sometimes referred to as ‘tile-tombs’, the available evidence indicates that such memorials were a part of the floor, not raised above it. This factor, and also the inherent fragility of the tile-tombs themselves, has meant that only a very few such monuments have survived in any reasonable state of preservation. Owing to their scarcity they have often been denied a place within a general monumental history of the medieval period, let alone that of later times. A major exception to this is a study published in this Journal of the collection of tile-tombs once at the abbey of jumièges (Seine-Maritime), France, which have been convincingly attributed by Christopher Norton to the abbacy of Guillaume III de Rauçon (1213–39). Dr Norton places this cohesive series of tombs within the context of technical and stylistic developments of the floor-tile industry of Normandy, drawing parallels in Britain. The concentration of such tile-tombs is overwhelmingly medieval. In this paper the chronology of tile-tombs is enlarged by studying two recently noted early modern examples, also in the département of Seine-Maritime. In addition, the paper supports Dr Norton's study, in that he assesses the jumièges tile-tombs to ‘stand at the start of a tradition which was to continue in Normandy for a period of some five centuries.’     

The Line,the Void and the Current: Iron Age Art from a Design Theory Perspective

Objects from the European Iron Age decorated with swirls and scrolls, faces and figures, and generally referred to as Early Celtic Art, can offer deep insight into later prehistoric notions of creativity. By drawing on archaeology and social anthropology, art and architectural design, this theoretical discourse investigates the design processes involved in the creation of Early Celtic Art. Rather than attempting to decipher a meaning behind decoration, this enquiry uses architectural ‘Design Theory’ to explore the implications of certain design choices. It starts with the premise that these designs are integral to the objects in order to identify different layers of complexity, innovation and emulation, and ends with wider reflections on who was creative and how. This approach, borrowed from architectural analysis, aims to open a new line of enquiry into the fascinating world of Iron Age creativity.     

An Archaeological Survey and Watching Brief at Garston Lock,Kennet and Avon Canal

Abstract

Restoration work at the turf-sided Garston Lock by British Waterways in 1993–4, as part of the reopening of the Kennet and Avon Canal, is described. The discovery of a timber head apron of the mid-eighteenth century has provided additional detail on the construction of turf-sided locks at this time. This apron, comprising a base plate, plank floor and side walls as well as a mitre cill, was abandoned when the lock was shortened. Comparisons have been made with a lock of similar construction and date at Monkey Marsh, Thatcham. Garston lock was subsequently rebuilt, possibly c 1854, to the specifications of John Rennie for locks elsewhere on the Kennet and Avon Canal. The turf sides were retained but were reveted with slate, a unique feature for locks on this canal.     

Site conservation during excavation: treatment of masonry,wall plaster and floor mosaic remains of a Byzantine church in Petra,Jordan

Abstract

The conservation treatments carried out between June 1992 and August 1993 on the architectural remains of a Byzantine basilica in Petra, Jordan, during and immediately after the excavation are described. The treatments completed during excavation included: stabilization and consolidation of certain sections of the basilica's sandstone ashlar masonry; cleaning and consolidation of the unpainted lime wall plaster decorating the basilica interior; cleaning and consolidation in situ of the extensive remains of a figurative mosaic pavement in the two side aisles, and the fragmentary remains of the opus sectile pavement in the central aisle. The consolidation treatments included injection grouting using hydraulic mortar mixes produced in Italy, and mortar repairs using slaked lime and hydraulic lime. The existence of the mosaic required preventive conservation measures during the excavation, such as the construction of a temporary shelter over the site during the winter, the use of temporary protective facings over damaged areas of the mosaic, as well as the temporary backfilling of the mosaic with soil over a layer of geotextile in order to protect the mosaic between the initial phase of conservation work and the construction of a permanent shelter for the site in the near future. The importance of having a conservator present on site during the critical phase of excavation, when all materials are most susceptible to damage, is emphasized. The Petra Church Project will hopefully serve as a model for future excavations in that it employed two conservators from the beginning of the excavation: one for small finds, the other responsible for the site and the architectural remains removed from the site during the excavation.     

The Constantinopolitan abbot Dius: his life,cult and hagiographical dossier

Abstract

Although one of the founding fathers of Constantinopolitan monasticism, the Syrian ascetic Dius is hardly ever mentioned in secondary literature. The reason for this unfavourable treatment lies in the scarcity of information available for this saint. His Late Antique Life is lost and can only be studied in Middle Byzantine adaptations, three canones, two synaxaria and an unedited encomium. This article offers a discussion of Dius' biography, the development of his cult and his hagiographical dossier on the basis of the surviving material.     

The cologne map publisher Peter Overadt (fl. 1590–1652)

Abstract

Peter Overadt is one of the many lesser‐known figures of the second generation of the Cologne school of map making, which had been founded about 1570 by Frans Hogenberg. Overadt is noteworthy as the first continental publisher (aside from Jodocus I Hondius, who was at that time active in London) to have decorated printed topographical maps with marginal historical‐political images. During the first phase of his business (1592–1600), he issued eight maps, with a three‐sheet map of Germania as the pinnacle of his production. After 1600, Overadt's firm was primarily engaged in the publication of religious prints with a Catholic orientation. Topographical productions from this later period are three large town views and the re‐issue of a map of the Rhine area, printed from a re‐worked copper plate of 1594 by Theodoor de Bry.     

WHERE DID THE LUSTRE TILES OF THE SIDI OQBA MOSQUE (ad 836–63) IN KAIROUAN COME FROM?*

Metallic lustre decoration of glazed ceramics is a very special kind of ornament, because its colours change with the observational conditions. In diffused light, they can be green, brown or ochre–yellow. In specular reflection, they show an associated coloured metallic shine (blue, golden‐yellow or orange). The lustre tiles at the Sidi Oqba Mosque in Kairouan still have no defined origin (possibly Kairouan and/or Mesopotamia). Physicochemical analyses of eight Kairouan lustre tile samples and four Mesopotamian lustre pottery samples show that the Kairouan tiles probably came from Mesopotamia, from a major production centre, possibly Baghdad, Samarra or Basra.