Building material
Tiles
Clay → Tiles
Picture to come.
Flat roofing tiles of fired clay. Largely abandoned in Britain after the Roman period, ceramic roof tiles were back in use by the 12th century, when records show them encouraged in place of thatch for fire safety, especially in towns. They were costlier than thatch or wooden shingles and most roofs were still thatched. Decorated clay floor tiles are mostly a later development.
Caveats (confidence: medium)
Extent of 12th-century tile use and production details are not quantified in the source; the floor-tile dating is general knowledge.
Sources: buildingconservation.com
Made by
- Fire tiles
Used to build
- Inn
- Bakery
- Storehouse
- Cottage
- Spinner's cottage
- Townhouse
- Great house
- Infirmary