Join Tom Chamberlin - experimental archaeologist and potter - and discover how medieval floor tiles were made and create your own, inspired by designs found in Cirencester.

Medieval floor tile making arrived in England from the Low Countries in the early 13th century, reaching its height towards the end of the century. Following the dissolution of the monasteries in the 16th century, tile production largely disappeared and many decorated tiled ‘pavements’ were lost, along with the skills and knowledge used to create them.

In this hands-on workshop, you'll explore this fascinating craft and discover how medieval floor tiles were made. You'll begin by choosing a design inspired by tiles from Cirencester Abbey and the Corinium Museum collections. You'll then carve your design and prepare it as a tile stamp, ready to press into clay.

In the afternoon, you'll use locally dug clay and your handmade stamp to create two medieval-style floor tiles. You'll infill the stamped designs with white clay, learning how contrasting clays were used to create the distinctive patterns seen in surviving historic tiles.

You'll also ‘scrape down’ a previously prepared tile, carefully revealing the finished design and seeing how the different stages of this centuries-old process come together.

By the end of the workshop, you'll have discovered more about the history and techniques of medieval tile making, created your own tile stamp and made two unique tiles. Your tiles will be finished and fired, ready to collect from New Brewery Arts at a later date.

Tutor: Dr Tom Chamberlin
Date & Time: Saturday 31st October, 10am - 4pm
Venue: Wheel Studio, New Brewery Arts
Price: £95 (£0.00 VAT)

You are welcome to bring a lidded bottle of water with you but we kindly ask that you do not bring food into the studio.

Refreshments are available at our on-site café Blend until 4pm.

For more information:
Visit our FAQ page

Who is this workshop for?
The workshop is suitable for complete beginners, or for novice or intermediate potters to gain confidence with new materials and techniques.

Please note that this workshop is for those aged 18 and over.

What you will need:
Please bring an apron or wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty.

Please remove jewellery and tie hair back.

All materials and equipment are included. Two tiles will be fired in our kilns, ready for you to collect later. Firings can take up to 6 weeks. We will contact you when your work is ready for collection.

Meet Your Tutor - Dr Tom Chamberlin

Tom has been making pottery since his school days and, in recent years, has turned his skills to experimental archaeology. His work explores how medieval inlaid floor tiles were made, recreating tiles found at Cirencester Abbey and now held in the Corinium Museum, as well as examples from other historic sites.

Working with historically authentic materials and processes wherever possible, Tom has been rediscovering the techniques used by medieval tile makers centuries ago.

Join Tom for a day of experimental archaeology and get hands-on with history as you recreate the stamps, processes and tiles once used at Cirencester Abbey.