Three missing pieces from a medieval tiled floor at Wenlock Priory have finally returned home after nearly sixty years. The decorative clay tiles, dating from the late thirteenth to early fourteenth century, were recently rediscovered in a biscuit tin and handed back to English Heritage, which cares for the site.
Their unlikely journey began in 1967, when nine-year-old Simon White and his family visited the priory, which is located in western England. Encouraged by his father, he took several tiles as keepsakes—a decision that would stay with him for decades.
A Childhood Memory Revisited
Simon White handed over the tiles to Assistant Curator Matty Cambridge at Wenlock Priory. Photo courtesy English Heritage
Now 68 and a retired surveyor, White recently came across the tiles while sorting through his belongings. With the help of family diaries, he was able to trace their origins back to Wenlock Priory and contacted English Heritage to confirm their provenance.
“I can still remember the day this all happened with my father ‘standing guard’, heaven knows what he would have said if we’d been caught!” White explained. “What happened to the tiles afterwards I’m not really sure, but they survived numerous house moves and assorted family upheavals only to turn up in my loft earlier this year in a battered biscuit tin. The delicious irony of this is that, now I’m retired, one of my hobbies is Archaeology and the local society I’ve joined are likely to take a dim view of this! So, after almost sixty years its only right and proper that the tiles are returned home and I am absolutely delighted to be able to do so.”
Identifying the Tiles
Photo courtesy English Heritage
Experts were able to determine that the tiles almost certainly came from Wenlock Priory. According to Matty Cambridge, Assistant Curator at English Heritage, similar designs are only known from a handful of sites.
“We are thrilled to see the safe return of these pieces of history to Wenlock Priory and are very grateful to Mr. White for coming forward with his discovery,” said Cambridge. “Tiles of these designs are only known at Haughmond Abbey, Brigdnorth Friary and Wenlock Priory and would have been locally-made in Shropshire. Given Bridgnorth Friary has no in-situ tile and wasn’t excavated until after Simon’s trip in1989, and Haughmond Abbey only has a small patch of tile still at the site, we can narrow down the tiles found by Mr. White to Wenlock Priory.”
One of the tiles is particularly intriguing. Featuring a dragon design, it has no exact parallel among known examples, though it resembles a fragment showing a swan. This raises the possibility that the tile may have once formed part of a larger decorative set.
Medieval Craftsmanship on Display
Detail of the 13th century medieval tiled floor at Wenlock Priory. Photo courtesy English Heritage
The tiled floors at Wenlock Priory are among the highlights of the site. Composed of inlaid medieval tiles gathered from different parts of the priory, they were carefully re-laid in the early twentieth century. The designs include heraldic symbols, floral patterns, and animal figures, offering a glimpse into the artistic richness of the medieval monastery.
Cambridge noted that such features are carefully preserved today: “They are one of the highlights of visiting this special place and that are cared for by our conservators and volunteers, and we want to preserve for future generations to enjoy.”
Although the removal of artefacts from historic sites was more common in the past, such practices are now strictly prohibited. In this case, however, the tiles were remarkably well preserved, making their return all the more valuable.
A Priory with Deep Roots
Assistant Curator Matty Cambridge looks for similar patterns on the tiled floor at Wenlock Priory. Photo courtesy English Heritage.
Wenlock Priory has a long and complex history. Founded around 680 as an Anglo-Saxon monastery, it was later re-established as a Cluniac priory following the Norman Conquest. Today the impressive ruins are cared for by English Heritage and are known for their architectural remains and elaborate decorative features, including the 12th century Chapter House and Cloister Garden with an unusual octagonal washbasin. The in situ medieval floor tiles, in what was once the priory’s church and library, give an impression of how elaborate the site would have once looked.
Three missing pieces from a medieval tiled floor at Wenlock Priory have finally returned home after nearly sixty years. The decorative clay tiles, dating from the late thirteenth to early fourteenth century, were recently rediscovered in a biscuit tin and handed back to English Heritage, which cares for the site.
Their unlikely journey began in 1967, when nine-year-old Simon White and his family visited the priory, which is located in western England. Encouraged by his father, he took several tiles as keepsakes—a decision that would stay with him for decades.
A Childhood Memory Revisited
Now 68 and a retired surveyor, White recently came across the tiles while sorting through his belongings. With the help of family diaries, he was able to trace their origins back to Wenlock Priory and contacted English Heritage to confirm their provenance.
“I can still remember the day this all happened with my father ‘standing guard’, heaven knows what he would have said if we’d been caught!” White explained. “What happened to the tiles afterwards I’m not really sure, but they survived numerous house moves and assorted family upheavals only to turn up in my loft earlier this year in a battered biscuit tin. The delicious irony of this is that, now I’m retired, one of my hobbies is Archaeology and the local society I’ve joined are likely to take a dim view of this! So, after almost sixty years its only right and proper that the tiles are returned home and I am absolutely delighted to be able to do so.”
Identifying the Tiles
Experts were able to determine that the tiles almost certainly came from Wenlock Priory. According to Matty Cambridge, Assistant Curator at English Heritage, similar designs are only known from a handful of sites.
“We are thrilled to see the safe return of these pieces of history to Wenlock Priory and are very grateful to Mr. White for coming forward with his discovery,” said Cambridge. “Tiles of these designs are only known at Haughmond Abbey, Brigdnorth Friary and Wenlock Priory and would have been locally-made in Shropshire. Given Bridgnorth Friary has no in-situ tile and wasn’t excavated until after Simon’s trip in1989, and Haughmond Abbey only has a small patch of tile still at the site, we can narrow down the tiles found by Mr. White to Wenlock Priory.”
One of the tiles is particularly intriguing. Featuring a dragon design, it has no exact parallel among known examples, though it resembles a fragment showing a swan. This raises the possibility that the tile may have once formed part of a larger decorative set.
Medieval Craftsmanship on Display
The tiled floors at Wenlock Priory are among the highlights of the site. Composed of inlaid medieval tiles gathered from different parts of the priory, they were carefully re-laid in the early twentieth century. The designs include heraldic symbols, floral patterns, and animal figures, offering a glimpse into the artistic richness of the medieval monastery.
Cambridge noted that such features are carefully preserved today: “They are one of the highlights of visiting this special place and that are cared for by our conservators and volunteers, and we want to preserve for future generations to enjoy.”
Although the removal of artefacts from historic sites was more common in the past, such practices are now strictly prohibited. In this case, however, the tiles were remarkably well preserved, making their return all the more valuable.
A Priory with Deep Roots
Wenlock Priory has a long and complex history. Founded around 680 as an Anglo-Saxon monastery, it was later re-established as a Cluniac priory following the Norman Conquest. Today the impressive ruins are cared for by English Heritage and are known for their architectural remains and elaborate decorative features, including the 12th century Chapter House and Cloister Garden with an unusual octagonal washbasin. The in situ medieval floor tiles, in what was once the priory’s church and library, give an impression of how elaborate the site would have once looked.
You can learn more about the medieval site on the English Heritage website.
Top Image: The medieval floor tiles were kept hidden for 60 years in an old tin. Photo credit: English Heritage
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