Tiles – Ancient & Modern…..
by Bernie Bell - 08:00 on 14 October 2022
Tiles…
Having seen the pieces of tile which are being found at this dig in Haverfordwest…. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-63193600 got me thinking about individual tiles which we have placed around our house. I don’t avidly ‘collect tiles’ – I just like them and acquire pleasing ones when I come across them. I realised how many memories and stories are associated with these tiles and thought I’d bring them together as they might be of interest in some way, to someone?
Here they are….
This is probably the oldest tile we have…..
I bought it from a stall at a flea-market in Stroud. The design looks medieval in style - but maybe it isn’t that old? I don’t know enough to know, but I like to think of it coming from the tiled floor of a church or monastery as I’ve seen similar tiles in places such as Strata Florida Abbey…. http://www.castlewales.com/strata.html which takes us back to Medieval Mid-Wales!
Definitely not ancient but a similar motif on this tile from Fursbreck Pottery…
Also originating from Fursbreck Pottery - two tiles inspired by designs dating from Neolithic Orkney - bought at the Blue Door charity shop in Kirkwall…..
….this one has a Saltire!!!
Staying with a Neolithic theme – we bought this in the shop at Skara Brae…. https://canmore.org.uk/site/1663/skara-brae on our first visit to Orkney. I did wonder what it had to do with Skara Brae, but I just liked it…..
I’ve since learnt that there was a Viking settlement in the area….. https://theorkneynews.scot/2017/07/06/bernie-bell-skaill-bay-sandwick/
– so maybe the design is appropriate after all.
For a time, after the old Post Office in Stromness had closed what had been the Sorting Room at the back became a pottery/shop and general gathering place – and that’s where I bought this tile which is also vaguely inspired by designs from the Neolithic.…
I was sorry when the old Post Office shut as it’s a fine Edwardian building – along the lines of the Stromness Hotel just down the street - with similar brass Art Nouveau decorative details. I hope that, whatever happens to the building, those fittings will be left in place or found a suitable new home. There’s a lot of fine old wood in there too – decades of use make for a beautiful sheen on wood, which can’t be replicated.
On the theme of Art Nouveau – another tile from the Stroud Flea market…
I know nothing about it, but can picture it in some kind of Edwardian public building - maybe a Library? So many of those buildings were demolished – sometimes the decorative elements were saved and sold - more often the whole building was simply destroyed as there wasn’t such a market for building reclamation as there is now. Fashions change and yesterday’s throw-outs are today’s collectables. All those lovely old tiled fireplaces which were covered by plasterboard, in front of which was placed an electric fire. All those old multi-panelled wooden doors which were covered with plain, flat panels of chipboard/laminate. If they survived the panels can be removed and the door, restored - many were simply thrown away/burnt.
People – they always want something new, often the opposite of what they last had – whatever was last fashionable – whether good or bad.
And now a marine theme – from a junk shop in Stroud – I bought it for Mike as part of a ‘spell’ for him to find work as a Marine Biologist…
….he did so, and here’s a tile from a Conference in Portugal to prove it…
From Portugal, to time spent in Spain where Mike and I worked at the Cota Doñana Nature Reserve for 6 weeks. At the end of our time working there we had a day in Seville before heading home. We were in a small shop down a side-street, where I bought a tile which is a good example of the Moorish influence on design in the area. https://blackhistorystudies.com/resources/resources/15-facts-on-the-moors-in-spain/ Can't help wondeing what the indigenous people made of the invasion and its benefits? A bit like the Romans coming to Britain?
I asked the lad working in the shop did he know where it came from. He took us through a door into a courtyard, the walls of which were covered in similar tiles or, I should say, they were partly covered in tiles. It was the family home of the folk who owned the shop, and he was their son. On realising that they could make money from the tiles, they were gradually stripping them and selling them. He said that when they’d all been sold, his parents planned to plaster over the walls.
It seemed a shame to me, as it was a lovely place. A tall, square court-yard with arching windows and the walls covered in colourful tiles, and a space in the middle of which some part was always shady – a gift in that heat. But it’s their house, so it’s up to them what they do with it. I don’t think it was of historical significance – it was just beautiful - and also representative of a style of architecture there. Though – leave it a couple of hundred years and maybe it would be of historical significance?
A tile of similar style, though not so well made, was bought in a little shop in Sintra, Portugal…..
We went to Portugal for our Honeymoon, staying in a small hotel up the side of a mountain! The nearest place of any size was Sintra, which held much of interest…..
https://www.visitportugal.com/en/content/discovering-sintra
The chap in that shop had no idea where the tile had come from – maybe best not to ask!
Two tiles with spiritual significance…..
Though neither Mike nor I have a religion, we do accept varying manifestations of ideas to do with The Powers That Be. We have a particular affection for Ganesh…..
When Mike was in a very difficult situation in his work ( his previous work) we asked Ganesh, as remover of obstacles to – remove obstacles - and – it worked out.
We don’t see it as – sit back, do nothing, ask for help and it will all get sorted out for us – no – we both believe in thinking, assessing, taking action, but we also acknowledge that some help might come from…..LIFE.
We feel toward Ganesh in a very friendly, appreciative way and we hope he feels the same towards us.
Here’s how I explained this to someone …..
“As you know, I don’t ‘pray to gods’, as such, I connect with Life, God, whatever folk want to call It, and acknowledge that this can have many aspects. It’s more to do with focusing on the aspect of LIFE which is relevant and needed, at any time.
If, however, the obstacles are of our own construction, well, that’s for us to deal with.
The Universe provides, but also, you may have come across the idea of ‘God helps those, who help themselves’. That’s a good one.
We can also build bogey-men to frighten ourselves, and the answer is…..not to! Or, to catch yourself doing it, and stop!”
And…Om…all-encompassing…..
This symbol holds so much meaning - and much meaning for me – that I can’t really attempt to explain it here. If you’re not familiar with it and are curious to find out – best look it up.
Mike brought me this back from a work trip to Seattle where he bought it from a stall in a street market . The chap running the stall makes things then sells them – A GOOD THING.
And so I come to bits & pieces….
Just a sweet little flower, on a tile, from the Blue Door again – presumably a local ceramicist? Keeping company with a Wonder Woman apron, a wee tile we found on an Orkney beach, and some wooden hearts (cue Elvis?)
And – something of a prize find for me – from the RSPCA shop in Stroud – ‘The Cat That Walked By Himself’ – from the story by Rudyard Kipling in ‘Just So Stories’….. https://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/79/just-so-stories/1296/the-cat-that-walked-by-himself/
I was so pleased when I found this…
Images of another couple of crackin’ tiles from the dig….
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Here’s one I made earlier…. https://theorkneynews.scot/2018/12/22/drones/
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