Medieval Tiles in the news - Westgate, Oxford

  

The 13th century tile pavement uncovered at Westgate Oxford 

© Oxford Archaeology

 

"The tiles were probably made near Newbury in West Berkshire and are of the 'Stabbed Wessex' type, whose main period of use was between AD 1280 – 1350."

Full story at: http://www.culture24.org.uk/history-and-heritage/archaeology/art558663-You-always-find-the-best-stuff-on-the-last-day-Unearthing-a-medieval-tile-floor-at-Westgate-Oxford

Course: Medieval tile making workshop

Medieval tile making workshop: Sunday 11 May 2014

9.30am to 5pm, at Weald & Downland Open Air Museum, West Sussex, UK

A practical day with the opportunity to design your own tiles, or use pre-made patterns, with information on historical aspects of the craft. Each participant can choose four tiles to be fired and sent to them after the course.

The tutor is Karen Slade who has been demonstrating tile making since 1996 and enjoys learning something new about it every year. In her role as Kate Tiler, she demonstrates medieval tile making all around the country, using replica tools and equipment and traditional methods. She is interested in the interpretation and exploration of the hidden meanings of medieval tile designs and images, an understanding of which helps to place them in a historical context.

Fee: £110 per person, to include tuition, tea and coffee.  The museum café will be open or you can bring your own packed lunch.

Booking: Click for the booking form

The Bone Thief by V M Whitworth

This is another in my occasional series of brick and tile in novels.  Since this book is set in 900 AD, you may think that the author is erroneous, but ...    First a little about the story itself:

Synopsis (from http://www.randomhouse.co.uk/editions/the-bone-thief/9780091947217)

900 A.D. A time of turmoil. A kingdom in dispute. An unlikely hero...

Edward, son of Alfred the Great, has inherited the Kingdom of Wessex and achieved a precarious set of alliances through marriage and military conquest. But the alliance is uneasy and the kingdom of Mercia has more reason than most to fear the might of Wessex. Their Lord is elderly and perhaps mortally sick, and his wife fears that she does not have the power to withstand hostile takeover. She also knows too well what her neighbour is capable of - after all, King Edward is her brother.

The chance to rescue St Oswald's bones, beloved patron saint, to consecrate her new church and unite the people behind her, is too good an opportunity to miss. But they are rumoured to be buried a long way north - outside Lincoln, deep in hostile territory. Her secretary, Wulfgar, groomed for the priesthood since he was a boy in the elegant cloisters of Winchester cathedral but a naïve in the ways of the wider world - is surprised to be sent on this mission. It will prove an incredibly dangerous journey, requiring resources and courage Wulfgar did not know he had, and support from surprising allies along the way including a maverick priest and a Viking adventuress whose loyalties are far from clear...

Now the scene is set, what about the tiles, you may ask?   There were a couple of mentions.  On page 162:

"It [Leicester Cathedral] had been made of golden stone and russet tile ..."



Edge of the seat stuff for the tile-kind ;)  But does the phrase russet tile mean ceramic tile?  Ah, now.  I think the author is playing a canny game here.  It's simply not made clear.  The word 'tile' is often used interchangeably - it could be ceramic, stone or even wood.  In this case, maybe it's a brown or red sandstone flaggy sort of tile.  If she meant ceramic then it's a bit contentious as the mere mention of 10th century ceramic tile in England is liable to evince a fainting fit in some quarters of the archaeological specialists gang.  I think we might have 10th century roof tile at Coppergate in York, but publication of that before I snuff it is very unlikely, so according to some it's an urban myth (fair enough till the evidence is presented).

Crashing on - we have on page 269 a refence to a floor:

"[...] the inside of the Spider's Hall.  Smoke-darkened plaster, tiled floor."

and:

"... scars in the tiles ..."

It's the same situation as the russet tiles - we're not quite sure if these tiles are stone or ceramic.  This then, rather than an author showing their historical knowledge, is a lesson in what is important in a story.  We don't need to know whether the tiles are ceramic or not. The story is the important thing.  Whitworth has ensured her novel has an authentic feel in so many other ways, that we can trust her.

And a very interesting novel it is too. I heartily recommend it as a good read.  I have the honour of reviewing it for the Historical Novel Society, but can't put the review on this blog until it's published by the HNS.  I'm not sure when that will be as unfortunately the review went it late due to the deadline clashing with one of my university essay deadlines. But I can say that if you're interested in early 10th century, you'll probably enjoy this book!  Congratulations to V M Whitworth on a marvellous debut novel.

Caerleon 2011 - hypocaust revealed

Think they're bessalis size. Yay!

West Offices, York

West Offices is a site currently (July 2011) being dug in the centre of York. Of interest to this blog are the tile finds, including 9th Hispana tiles and circular pila tiles. Here's a few pix, courtesy of Duncan Stirk's flickr album:

9th Hispana tile stamp:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dstirk/5884302627/

The almost regulation hobnail imprint tile:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dstirk/5877933554/

Circular pila tile:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dstirk/5860056121/

And here's a brief news report on the dig's open day in June:

http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/9107142.Roman_findings_go_on_show/

And a bit more information about the site over time:

http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/features/features/6336299.City_of_York_Council_s_new_HQ_at_West_Offices/

The Pevensey Bricks

A great article by Miles Russell about the fake HON AVG ANDRIA tile stamps, amongst other fakes by Charles Dawson (yes, he of Piltdown Man fame!). The stamp can be seen on the tile at the bottom left of this picture from Miles' site.

http://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/caah/landscapeandtownscapearchaeology/piltdown_man_k.html

York vicar in tile plea

(Photo from the Press 9/7/09)

The tiles of the Lady Chapel floor in All Saints Pavement, North Street, York, are being restored. The newspaper article can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/mmffov If you want to donate toward the restoration of the Lady Chapel go here: http://allsaints-northstreet.org.uk/restoration_olns.html