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Archaeologia Cantiana -
Vol. 88 1973 page 148 |
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illustrated in Fig. 6, no. 3, being in situ on the chapter-house
floor at its eastern limit. They fall into two classes, for both of which
a thirteenth-century date seems appropriate. (a) Fig. 6, nos. 3 and 4 are of red clay, triangular in shape, 1 in. thick and with bevelled sides. The upper surface is glazed, producing a reddish-brown coloration. The pattern is incomplete and apparently several tiles were laid together to produce the full design. Fig. 6, no. 5 is a curious and significant specimen consisting of part of a large unglazed tile, 0.7 in. thick, upon which has been impressed a raised relief decoration similar to those previously described. Obviously, the size and shape of the tile do not accord with the moulded decoration, and it is unlikely that it was ever used in a pavement, having been fired unglazed, presumably as a trial-piece, and discarded as a waster. It occurred in soil overlying the floor of the warming house among numerous fragments of tiles of various types. Most probably this tile represents a waster from a local kiln and points to other tiles of this class having been made at Boxley. At New Berwick, a kiln which produced relief tiles has been discovered associated with an unglazed waster suggesting that they were biscuit fired, as on the Continent, whereas in this country the glaze was normally applied in the first firing.28 |
(b) Fig. 6, no. 1 shows a reconstruction of the design of this
type which was invariably covered by dark-green glaze. Line-Impressed Tiles Fig. 6, no. 2 reconstructs the design on several fragments found in the chapter house area and also in both transepts. The simple linear design is deeply impressed and the surface colour is either brown or dark-green glaze. Line-impressed tiles are said to be characteristic of the fourteenth century.29 It is likely that they were also produced by the Boxley tileries. Tiles from the Nave Floor A small patch of tiled floor was uncovered in the area of the nave, as indicated in the plan. Most of the tiles were plain, but interspersed were six decorated examples (Fig. 6, nos. 6—l1). All are badly worn and five bear traces of white-clay decoration printed into the body in the manner typical of the later Middle Ages. One has the decoration known heraldically as gyronny, the design being impressed but not filled with white slip, the hollows retaining brown glaze (Fig. 6, no. 11). 28 Ibid., 26 29 London Museum Medieval Catalogue, 1940, 253 |
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Page 148 (This page prepared for the Website by Ted Connell) |
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