Among the tiles discovered in 1866, Mr. Llewellyn Jewitt writes, (Reliquary, Jan. 1868), “are examples different in form, as well as in material and design, from any others which had come under my notice, made of light stone-coloured clay, the foliated pattern in very high and bold relief, and covered with a rich green glaze.” One consists of the crowned letter M, terminated at either end with a crowned letter A, with foliage, all in high relief, and green glazed. The letters are the initial ones of Ave Maria, and probably adorned the “Chapel of Our Lady” in the Priory Church, where one was found during the excavations. Among the single tile patterns, of which these two are the most beautiful, are many very curious ones, armorial bearings of England, with label of France, the de Warrenes, de Burghs, Berkeleys, and Hastings, &c. Alphabet. Fleur-de-lis. Emblems of Saints Peter and Paul, (Bell, Key, and Sword). Grotesques, (men, animals, birds, &c.) One, bearing the name Redlington and arms, which some suppose stand for Bridlington, and the arms of the founder (Gant) of that priory. Geometrical, Foliage, especially oak leaves, with acorns. Another is divided into nine square compartments, (stamp used, intended for smaller tiles,) in the centre a flower, right-hand top corner, arms of De Warrene, left-hand bottom corner, arms of Berkeley, the others, a double fleur-de-lis, a cross lozengy between four pellets, a rabbit, a martlet, and two grotesque animals.
Of four tile patterns there are some good examples, geometrical designs with foliage (oak leaves), and armorial bearings.
There are also some remarkably rich and beautiful sixteen tile patterns. One has a border of curving foliage between a double circle, within the circle is a quatre-foil, enclosing a most elegant foliage design, in the centre is an octagonal flower, in the cusps formed by the quatre-foil are figures of hares playing, in the corners of the tile are two pigeons, facing each other, with a cross, with double head, issuing from their beaks, like Sir John Port’s crest. A second is similar to this, but the centre is wanting. A third, also circular, still more elaborate, with dragons in the corners.
There are also some elegant border tiles, with patterns, consisting of undulating or waving foliage, or birds perched on the side of a straight branch, with double circles and pellets between them.
Besides these there are some curious examples of tiles simply indented or stamped, with circles and foliage, and painted within the pattern with green glaze, not filled with “slip,” as the liquid clay was called, and two have a pattern which has evidently been cut or incised with some sharp instrument, not stamped as all the rest have been.
The size of the tiles varies from 10 inches square to 2½ inches square, by 1¾ inches to 1 inch thick. The body-clay is red, the patterns are filled in with white or yellow “slip,” which is brushed or poured over the face of the tile, then the “slip” is scraped off the surface of the tile, leaving “slip” in the pattern. Glazes of various colours, green, yellow, buff, brown, &c. The stamps were most probably made of wood, and vary in size.
The discovery of the tile-kiln enabled Llewellyn Jewitt to localise the manufacture of tiles which he had examined in various churches in Derbyshire, especially at Newton Solney, Thurgaton Priory, and Bakewell. A larger tile-kiln was discovered at Dale Abbey, about thirty-eight years ago, close to the ruins of the gatehouse of that Abbey.
The comparison of the tiles, made there and at Repton, forms another link between them, and proves that, at least, similar stamps were used in the production of the tiles, and it may be, as suggested by Mr. John Ward, F.S.A., (“Mediæval Pavement and Wall Tiles of Derbyshire,” Vol. XIV., of the “Derbyshire Archæological Journal,”) “that stamps were passed on from tilery to tilery, or that companies of tile-wrights, carrying about with them their stamps, &c., temporarily settled down at places where tileries existed.”
