PAVEMENT IN ENCAUSTIC TILES.
The subjects of the designs may be divided into several classes: — those embodying sacred symbols; in-scriptions, being verses of Scripture or pious maxims; armorial bearings of the sovereign or individual connectedwith the church by benefactions or otherwise; personal devices or mottoes ; and ornaments conformable to thestyle of architecture, but without any special meaning. Of these the representations of armorial bearings arethe most interesting, as frequently affording valuable evidence or illustration of the descent of property. AtGreat Malvern, a series of heraldic tiles illustrate the descent of the Chase and Manor of Malvern. * Severalinstances have been met with of inscribed tiles, having been used, instead of the usual incised stone slabs, tomark the place of a grave beneath the floor of a church. Such an example occurs in the Lady Chapel atGloucester, also at Kirkstall Abbey. In one, we believe unique, example in England, at Lingfield Church, Surrey,f a monumental slab is formed with three large tiles, on which a figure is represented by incised lines, nothowever filled in with a different colour; there is an inscription, but illegible, on the margin. The whole iscovered with a greenish glaze, and, judging by the costume of the figure, the work may probably be referredto the early part of the sixteenth century. Another application of encaustic tiles occurs at Great Malvern ,and is illustrated by Mr. Nichols . He says,—“ Some very remarkable series of tiles are those to which thedistinctive term of wall-tiles has been applied. These were intended as a decorative facing to the walls, and theirpatterns are so disposed as to be arranged in upright bands, which when united compose a rich decoration,similar in effect to the tabernacle-work, or carved tracery of wood, in place of which these tiles were un-doubtedly intended to be used, either as a reredos of the altar or enrichment to the walls of the choir. Nosimilar example of the application of ornament of a fictile nature to the interior decoration of a church hashitherto been noticed in England or on the Continent.” The tiles composing the larger set bear the date 1453,and the series consists of five tiles with three varieties of the base. The other set is dated “ Anno regniRegis Henrici VI. xxxvj.” (1456), and is also composed of five tiles.
Besides these examples, a great variety are to be found in Winchester, Gloucester, and York Cathedrals,and in the Churches of St. Cross, Rumsey, Warblington, Tintern, Bredon, Tewkesbury , Sec. It is not, however,to be supposed that the use of encaustic tiles was entirely confined to ecclesiastical buildings, as severalexamples have been found of their introduction into domestic architecture. A fine pavement was discoveredin the housekeeper’s apartment at Windsor Castle also in the ruins of the royal palace of Clarendon, nearSalisbury, and in the ancient palace of Westminster . We may also allude to the remarkable specimens in the halland guard-chamber of the Ducal Palace, at Caen, § portions of which are now in private possession in this country.
Little is known of the ancient arrangements of tile-pavements, owing to the imperfect state in which theyhave, with one or two examples, been found. The pavement of the chantry chapel, on the north side ofthe choir in Tewkesbury , deserves attention on this account :|| the panels are arranged in lozenge fashion, sur-rounded by a single row of plain black tiles. Another example is in the chantry called the Founder’s Chapel .The most striking specimen,^ however, is that before the high altar at Gloucester Cathedral , by Abbot Sebroke,1454-57. This pavement was perhaps rivalled by those of Hailes Abbey, in the same county, portions ofwhich still exist at Southam House, the seat of the Earl of Ellenborough, near Cheltenham . In the latter partof the sixteenth century, the manufacture of encaustic tiles upon the system described was superseded by theintroduction of the glazed tiles, in which various colours were introduced on the surface. This art had beenemployed for some time previous on the Continent, but a single specimen only was to be met with in thiscountry, namely, in the Mayor’s Chapel at Bristol, the tiles there used having been imported from Spain .
Messrs. Minton, to whom so much credit is due for the revival and improvement of the fictile arts, havecombined in their manufacture both the old system of the encaustic tiles and the subsequent plan of a surfaceglaze, and both these varieties are exemplified in the subject of the Plate. The processes of the manufacturehave been, however, so much improved, that almost any shade of colour can be given to the clay employed,which no longer requires a glaze for protection, this being reserved to produce the more brilliant coloursdesired. When so used, it is introduced into a sunk pattern in the tile, and is thus protected from the wearto which in a pavement it must otherwise be subjected. Our limits, will not permit us to trace the effortsof Messrs. Minton and Mr. Wright in the revival of this beautiful manufacture, but the increasing demand forsuch objects sufficiently proves that those efforts have been crowned with signal success.