Traditional clay tiles in Oxfordshire
Traditional clay tiles
Traditional clay tiles: Born of fire!
Traditional clay tiles have been the standard roofing material for many hundreds of years in the United Kingdom.
In fact, traditional clay tiles were rapidly adopted following a disastrous fire in Southwark in 1212. Following the fire, King John made a proclamation, stating that buildings in London should be built with traditional clay tiles, rather than thatched roofing, since they were more resistant to fire. Traditional clay tiles are actually given life by fire! They achieve their strength, durability, colour and texture in the kiln, so it's only natural that they are such a sought after roofing material.
Traditional clay tiles are still extensively used today and relied on for their aesthetics and performance as a superior roofing material. Certain manufacturing techniques have developed over the years, but the traditional clay tiles still leave the manufacturer after being crafted in the time honoured way.
So how are Heritage Clay Tiles Ltd clay roof tiles made today?
Throughout history clay tiles have traditionally been formed by hand, then textured or glazed with colour and fired in high-temperature kilns to set. These traditional clay tiles remain the most sought after tiles on the market today.
The manufacturing process of traditional clay tiles is still very similar today, handcrafted clay tiles are still available and often the tile of choice for heritage projects, however, you can also purchase machine-made clay tiles created to imitate the appearance of traditional clay tiles.
There are regional differences in traditional clay tiles
Regional differences in traditional clay tiles occur due to localised sourcing of the basic clay material, which means it is different across each region, these differences become more obvious once the clay is fired in a kiln which leads to variations in colour and textures, unique to each region. The geological make up of the ground clay will have a major impact on the finished traditional clay tiles.
Not only does the type of clay differ region to region, there are also localised preferences in the popularity of different roof profiles, colours and textures. The South-East tends to prefer the red traditional clay tiles over the more modern alternatives.
Modern Roman roof tiles, refers to tiles that have a flat shape with one or two rolls, or curves; these are known as single or double Romans. These types of clay roof tiles remain popular in the South West of England.
Plain tiles which are flat in appearance and more traditionally likened to the original Roman clay tile remain a popular choice in London and the South of England. Larger traditional clay tiles tend to be more popular in the North of the United Kingdom.
How traditional clay tiles are made today
The process is still very similar to that of the old and more traditional manufacturing techniques, but this is done on a much larger scale. The tiles are created by filling tile moulds or pallets with wet clay and baking these at a very high temperature in a kiln. The weight and feel of the tile is determined by how long it is baked for and at what temperature. Clay roof tiles come in a variety of finishes and colours; a traditional terracotta finish remains the most popular for any clay roof tile.
A little information about Oxfordshire
Chipping Norton in Oxfordshire
Chipping Norton is a market town in the Cotswold Hills in the West Oxfordshire district of Oxfordshire.
Some history of Chipping Norton in Oxfordshire
The Rollright Stones, which is a stone circle a couple of miles north of Chipping Norton, reflect prehistoric habitation in this part of Oxfordshire. The town name means "market north town", with "Chipping" meaning "market".
Chipping Norton began as a small settlement beneath a hill, where the earthworks of the motte-and-bailey Chipping Norton Castle can still be seen. The Church of England parish church dedicated to St Mary the Virgin stands on the hill next to the castle. Parts of today's building may date from the 12th century. It retains features of the 13th and 14th centuries. The nave was largely rebuilt in about 1485 with a Perpendicular Gothic clerestory. It is believed to have been funded by John Ashfield, a wool merchant, making St Mary's an example of a 'wool church'. Wool was a major trade in this part of Oxfordshire at the time and accounted for a good deal of the areas wealth.
In July 1549 the Vicar of Chipping Norton, led parishioners in a popular rising after the suppression of chantries and other religious reforms left him to minister alone to a congregation of 800 and reduced the budget for schooling. The rising was brutally put down by Lord Grey de Wilton. The vicar was captured, and then hanged in chains from the tower of his church. The bell tower of the Oxfordshire church was rebuilt in 1825 and has a ring of eight bells.
Oxfordshire becomes rich through wool
As mentioned above, wool in the Middle Ages made the Cotswold part of Oxfordshire one of England's wealthiest parts and many of the medieval buildings survive in the centre of Chipping Norton. There is still a market every Wednesday and a mop fair in September, when the High Street is closed to through traffic. In 1205 a new market place was laid out higher up the hill. Sheep farming was largely displaced by arable, but agriculture remained important.
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Handmade Clay Tiles in Oxfordshire
Handmade Roof Tiles in Oxfordshire
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Traditional roof tiles in Oxfordshire
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Further Information
If you would like to know more or are interested in a quote we would be happy to help. Phone us on 01634 471 344, email us at sales@heritagetiles.co.uk and we will be in touch as soon as possible.
