Archaeologia Cantiana Vol. 88 1973 page 146

marbles for which the light and dark tiles were a cheap substitute. At Boxley, the tiles are small squares, rectangles, triangles and lozenges with one circular specimen. Byland Abbey preserves the best example of floors formed of almost identical tiles, the geometrical patterns being laid in panels, as ilustrated in Mrs. Elizabeth Eames' handbook Medieval Tiles (1968), P1. xiii. There lozenge and triangular tiles are shown set against the riser of a step into the Byland transept chapels, almost exactly like those found in situ at Boxley in the same relative position. The Boxley tiles are of red clay, usually a little under 1 in. thick, with bevelled sides. Their surface colour is either yellow, due to lead glaze applied over a white slip, or dark green grading into manganese-brown or black. The smaller tiles were made by breaking larger ones along lines deeply cut into the clay while it was still soft. Many examples of tiles scored in this way before firing were found in the excavations, as illustrated in Fig. 5, nos. 14-16 and 19-22, from which it appears that they were frequently used as complete units if the smaller divisions were not required.²²A fragment of a circular tile, found in the north transept, had all traces of glaze worn away and is estimated to have been 6 in. in diameter and 14 in. thick.²³Two small square specimens (Fig. 5, nos. 2 and 3) have a worn grey surface with white slip decoration in the form of an octofoil and a star, respectively.		Tile mosaic is at present only known from three other Kentish localities: Canterbury Cathedral, Rochester Cathedral, and Leeds Priory.²⁴The Canterbury fragment has been dated c. 1220.²⁵ At Rochester it occurs in the north-east transept and the presbytery which were completed c. 1215.²⁶ Mrs. Eames is of the opinion that tile mosaic in general belongs to the thirteenth century, the pavement laid at Meaux between 1249 and 1269 being probably one of the latest.²⁷ In view of the close association of the Cistercian Order with the use and manufacture of this type of floor-tile, it is suggested that Boxley Abbey-the only Cistercian house in Kent-was the source of the tile mosaic at Canterbury, Rochester and Leeds. Relief Tiles Several fragments of glazed floor-tiles bearing moulded designs in raised relief were found in the general area of the east range, that ²²At Strood, Mr. A. C. Harrison has noted the occurrence of floor-tiles scored diagonally to facilitate breaking. Arch. Cant., lxxxiv (1969), 151. ²³There are two complete tiles of this form from Boxley Abbey in Maidstone Museum. ²⁴ J.B.A.A., ii (1847), 95. ²⁵ E. S. Eames, op. cit., 4. ²⁶ Arch. Cant., xxiii (1898), 317 and P1. IV. ²² E. S. Eames, op. cit., 6.
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