The ceramic art of Great Britain from pre-historic times down to the present day, Volume 2 (of 2)

by Llewellynn Frederick William Jewitt

Repton.

Encaustic tiles were made here in the fourteenth century, and the kiln in which they were fired, and a vast number of unfinished tiles and fragments of tiles, were discovered in 1866. The site of the tile works was within the old abbey walls, and was accidentally brought to light by the boys of Repton School, who were busying themselves in levelling a piece of land for their cricket ground. During their work they came upon patches of a stiff red clay with fragments of tiles; and, presently afterwards, found some regular layers of them, face downwards. Next they came upon masses of brickwork, which, upon careful clearing, turned out to be a kiln for the firing of the tiles. Of this, and of the tiles found within and around it, I made careful measurements and drawings, and some of these are shown on the accompanying engravings.[36] The kiln, Fig. [119], consisted of two series of arches (each series consisting of six arches alternating with the same number of openings) over what may be termed two vaults, each 7 feet 6 inches long, by 2 feet 6 inches wide, and about 1 foot 10 inches in height. The arches were formed of chamfered bricks or tiles, those composing the actual arch measuring 7¼ inches in breadth at the square, or upper end; 2¾ inches in breadth at the lower end; 7¼ inches in length; 4½ inches in length on the square sides; 3½ on the chamfer; 1¼ inches in thickness at the upper end: and three quarters of an inch in thickness at the lower end. The basement, four inches in thickness, was formed of bricks or tiles. Upon this were built up, at distances of 4½ inches apart, the chamfered bricks from which the arches sprung, these being placed broadends together and so forming an hexagon. Between these the remainder of the wall, to a level with the top of the arches, was formed of encaustic tiles, which being 4½ inches square exactly fill up the width. These encaustic tiles, some hundreds in number, were of various patterns, but evidently unfinished, being quite soft and pliable. The floor of the vault was paved with tiles, and at the entrance was a stone wall on either side, and against the wall-pier was placed the curious relief tile, Fig. [120].

Fig. 120.

The tiles and fragments of tiles exhibit some examples different in form, as well as in material and in design, from any others which have come under my notice. One of these, on Fig. [121] (repeated so as to form the complete pattern in a lozenge), is of very light stone-coloured clay. The foliated pattern is in very high and bold relief, and the whole face of the tile is covered with a rich green glaze. It measures 10 inches on its angles, and 14 inches from point to point on its base, and it is 1¾ inches thick. Fig. [120] is of the same material and general character; the pattern in high relief, and the face covered with green glaze. It measures 8 inches by 6½, and is 1¾ inches thick. Another green glazed tile, also with the pattern in relief, is shown on Fig. [123]. Its design, which is extremely elegant, consists of the crowned initial of the blessed Virgin,

each limb of the letter M terminating in a crowned letter A and foliage. This, I take it, simply means “Ave, Maria.”

Fig. 121.

Figs. 122 and 123.

Vol. II.

Plate II.

MEDIÆVAL PAVING TILES MADE AT REPTON.

Vol. II.

Plate III.

MEDIÆVAL PAVING TILES FOUND AT WIRKSWORTH.

Of the ordinary class of red and yellow tiles, a very large variety of patterns was found. These consisted of single, four, nine, and sixteen tile patterns of great beauty, and, in many cases, unusual intricacy; border tiles of strikingly beautiful design; heraldic tiles representing the armorial bearings of many local families of note, as well as those of the monarch, &c.; alphabet tiles, bearing the entire alphabet in Lombardic capitals; and grotesque, astronomical, and other devices. Some of these are represented on plates I. and II., and it is worthy of remark, as showing the extent to which this manufacture was carried by the monks at Repton, that tiles still existing in, or exhumed on the sites of, many of the old churches and religious houses of this and the adjoining counties, are identical with those discovered in this kiln, and are therefore proved to be of Repton make.

Figs. 124 and 125.

Another description (to which the same remark will also apply) of tiles found in this kiln is very peculiar. On these, the pattern, in sharp and tolerably fine lines, is simply indented, or incised, into the soft clay, and not filled in with “slip.” These, which for convenience I will call “incised tiles,” are of dark blue or black colour. Some of these patterns will be found in Figs. [124 and 125]. Another very singular unique tile of this class is given of its full size on Fig. [122]. It bears a head within a wreath, and is covered with green glaze. Another curious and unique tile, in which the simple device of four saltires within a square has been literally cut into the clay, not impressed, was also found.

Figs. 126 to 128.

Having described the Repton kiln it will be well in the present chapter to give some few particulars of other remains of a like kind. In 1833, my late friend, Mr. H. Eginton, discovered a tile kiln on land formerly belonging to the Priory of Great Malvern. It consisted of two semicircular arches, strongly built, separated from each other by a thick and massive wall or pier. The length of the kiln was 35 feet, and the width of the openings 2 feet 3 inches. In each of the archways was a flooring of stone, about two feet from the ground, composed of three slabs in width; the centre one serving as a key-stone to the others, but more especially, in my opinion, so arranged as to allow the fumes of the charcoal to have proper access to the chamber where the tiles were placed. The place for the fire was on the ground, beneath this elevated flooring, and the earth from long action of the heat had become of extreme hardness, and had all the appearance of a thick pavement of limestone. There was no aperture for smoke, so that the process was literally that of the “smother kiln.” The arches were double, the outer being constructed of tiles, the inner of bricks, which from long action of the fire had become completely vitrified. The flooring on which the tiles were placed for burning was two inches in thickness, and at the time of the discovery a number of the tiles were found lying in their places as they did when the fire smouldered away beneath them four centuries before. The kiln was placed seven feet under ground—most probably to prevent injury to the structure from expansion by heat—and was firmly backed and bedded in with blocks of Malvern ragstone. The tiles found were identical with some of those now remaining in Great and Little Malvern churches. Another kiln was discovered in 1837, at St. Mary Witton, near Droitwich. It consisted of arched chambers similar to those at Malvern, and separated from each other in like manner by a strong intermediate central wall or pier. The arches were 2 feet 2 inches in height, 2 feet 4 inches in width, and of several feet in length, and were partly composed of tiles, partly of brick, and highly vitrified with the heat. In them, as at Malvern, a considerable quantity of charcoal was found. Other remains of kilns have been discovered in Wiltshire, in Sussex, and in Staffordshire, and in the latter county the family name of Telwright, or Tilewright, doubtless taking its origin from makers of tiles, is one of great antiquity.

Fig. 129. Tile Kiln Discovered near Farringdon Road, London.

Another remarkably interesting kiln was discovered in London in the course of excavations in forming the Metropolitan Railway, close to the Farringdon Street Station. The kiln, which rests upon the natural bed of clay of the locality, was found about fourteen feet below the surface level of Turnmill Street, or the natural bank of the Fleet River. Over it was an immense accumulation of rubbish, doubtless caused by the Great Fire of London. An account of this kiln has been drawn up by my friend Mr. J. E. Price, to whom I am indebted for the view of the kiln engraved on Fig. [129]. It was about 16 feet long and 10 feet wide, and consisted of three parallel arches, which averaged 2 feet wide by 1 foot high, separated from each other by a pier of about 1 foot in width. These arches constituted the furnaces, and supported a level floor, which was pierced, at equal distances, with a series of openings each 2 feet long by 5 inches wide. Through these the heat would rise from below for firing the tiles. On the spaces between the apertures the tiles were probably placed for burning. There were thirty of these openings remaining, though in some instances the intervening spaces had fallen away. The entire structure is composed of plain tiles, similar to those used for roofing purposes.