Medieval Tiles: 380 (Shire Library)

Floor tiles with a wealth of different patterns and designs were used during the Middle Ages in churches, cathedrals, royal palaces and the homes of wealthy citizens. Durable and hygienic, they were also highly fashionable, and Medieval tilemakers proved extremely skilful in the production of a range of types, from variously shaped plain tiles for complex mosaic floors to stamped-relief and line-impressed varieties. Hans van Lemmen here details the various production and decoration techniques used and the changes in tile fashion. Though many medieval tiles disappeared during restorations in the nineteenth century, thousands remain in cathedrals, parish churches and former abbeys, and in the the British Museum's extensive collection.