The York Medieval Tile-Making Experiment: A Potters Tale

A request for ridge tiles and a louver for the restoration of a medieval house in York led to a project to manufacture 6000 roof tiles for the house, based on medieval finds from York and Essex, and using medieval methods and local clays. The project took place on a site near York from June 17th to August 8th 1988, when some 3822 peg-tiles were made and fired in an experimental multi-flued kiln. The results and problems encountered are described and discussed from a potter’s perspective.