Tiles

Object Type
The inlaid tile was one of the great inventions of medieval craftsmen. Production of such tiles involved stamping the surface of an unfired slab of clay with a carved wooden block, impressing the design into the surface. The hollows were then filled with white clay. The technique produced tiles that were both striking and durable, and had the particular advantage of being suited to mass production. Inlaid tiles, primarily used for floors, were made in quantity in England from the 13th to the 16th century.

Workshops
These tiles are part of an exceptional group of medieval inlaid tiles produced in Worcestershire in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. Tiles from the workshop responsible have been found at a number of sites in the region, including Hailes Abbey and Thornbury Castle, both in Gloucestershire. However, the workshop also produced tile pavements for sites considerably further afield, including Bristol and even St David's in Dyfed. These must have been carried by boat down the River Severn and out along the Bristol Channel, thus demonstrating that with suitable transport available, even a heavy commodity such as tiles could be transported over considerable distances.

Places
These tiles, which bear the arms of Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham (1478-1521), were specially made for the Duke's residence, Thornbury Castle. Construction of the castle began in 1511, but was incomplete by the time Stafford was executed for treason on the command of Henry VIII (ruled 1509-1547) in 1521.