Decorative tiles
In the early medieval period tiles were largely used in religious establishments - churches and monastaries. The tiles were handmade, moulded to give a design, and glazed. The tiles were very thick, as they were used as floor rather than wall tiles.
Ceramic tiles were also used to line stoves designed to heat the rooms of large houses. These stoves were a status symbol, and the tiles that covered them were therefore highly decorated. The tiles show human and animal figures, floral designs, and also the crests or initials of the house owner. They were usually glazed with a green glaze.
From the end of the sixteenth century, tin-glazed wall tiles were being produced. The tin glaze gave an opaque white colour, which could be painted with a variety of bright colours, although chiefly blue. The tiles were sometimes painted to give larger panels, making up a large picture. Individual tiles frequently feature biblical scenes.
Featured types
| Medieval floor tiles (1066 - 1485) |
| Stove tiles (1500 - 1700) |
| Tin-glazed tiles (1570 - 1850) |
Related objects
There are 327 related objects.<Previous pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Next >
NN15799 tile; floor tile. | NN15800 tile; floor tile. | 18785 tile; floor tile. | 52.84/1 tile; floor tile. |
23570 tile; floor tile. | 23572 tile; floor tile. | 85.465/1 tile; floor tile. | 85.465/2 tile; floor tile. |
NN15804 tile; floor tile. | NN15805 tile; floor tile. | 2201 tile; flue tile. | 2202 tile; flue tile. |
2203/1 tile; flue tile. | 2203/2 tile; flue tile. | 11269 tile; flue tile. | 12432 tile; flue tile. |
14206 tile; flue tile. | 17341 tile; flue tile. | 19773 tile; flue tile. | 24019 tile; flue tile. |
24597 tile; flue tile. | 24598 tile; flue tile. | 25982a tile; flue tile. | 25982b tile; flue tile. |