Archaeological Notes and Queries. TILE-PAVEMENTS AT STRATA FLORIDA ABBEY.-The plans of the tilepavements in the chapels of the south transept of Strata Florida Abbey Church, which are published in this Number of Archæologia Cambrensis, are reprinted from the plates which appeared in my work on this Monastery published in 1889.1 Drawings to a large scale were published in Arch. Camb., July 1889 (vol. vi, 5th Series, p. 266), when seventeen varieties of the tiles found during the exploration of the ruins were illustrated and shortly described. In July 1890 a Report upon further excavations in June of that year appeared in Arch. Camb., vol. vii, 5th Series, p. 253, when I somewhat fully described the discovery of all the pavements that have been found at Strata Florida; and it is certainly a matter for congratulation that we have found here probably the most important and interesting series of encaustic and incised tile-pavements of the early part of the fourteenth century that have ever been found in situ. Moreover, in the chapels of the south transept we have been able, with the tiles which were found in the course of the excavations, to fill up the blank spaces which appear in the plans with tiles corresponding in patterns to those that had been removed; and with the exception of one of the chapels, where we had to use a few of the large 7 in. tiles from the nave to make up a deficiency of the smaller patterns, the tiling in these chapels has been restored, to a large extent, in accordance with the original design. The chapels being roofed in, and enclosed with iron railings, it is hoped that we have preserved perfect examples of every tile that was used in the pavements throughout the building. A very interesting fact discovered during the relaying of the tiles in the chapels was, that in front of each altar the tiles had been worn quite smooth exactly at the point where the priest had stood during the celebration of the Mass, and where his feet had rested, there was distinctly to be traced a wearing away and depression of the surface of the pavement. It was also noticed that the tiles in the chapels of the north transept, more especially in the one nearest to the north door, were much more worn than in the south transept chapels; and probably this may be accounted for by the fact that the lay brethren, or conversi, entering by the north door, would pray at the altars in the north transept. The north transept was screened off from the monks' choir and presbytery, and the situa 1 The Cistercian Abbey of Strata Florida; its History and an Account of the recent Excavations made on its Site. By Stephen W. Williams, F.R.I.B.A. London: Whiting and Co, 30 and 32, Sardinia Street, W.C. tion of the door leading from the choir of the monks to the north transepts can still be traced. On the side of each altar in the transept chapels interments had been made, and owing to the weight of the fallen materials from the groined roofs, the places where the bodies were buried could be distinctly traced by the depression in the surface of the pavements. Of those who were thus interred no record remains. In the south chapel, next the sacristy, were found the remains of two magnificent recessed and canopied altar-tombs of Decorated work, of exceeding beauty, executed in fine oolitic stone, probably Caen stone. The carving of these tombs was of the greatest delicacy and finish, and of the highest artistic character. Fragments of these beautiful tombs were found scattered throughout the south transept, and also in the vault in the sacristy, which had been constructed under the south wall of the chapel, and wherein the bodies of the persons commemorated by the monuments had been buried. mental effigies all that were found were portions of two pairs of hands clasped in the attitude of prayer, and a fragment of the toe of a shoe or solleret. Of the monu The base of each monument was filled in with alabaster panels, and they were protected by an iron grille; the holes still remain in the base-stones where the bars were fixed, and fragments of the alabaster panels were found in situ. The position of these tombs is clearly shown in the plan of the south chapel. It will be observed that the tile-pavements have been altered to insert these tombs, and they were erected subsequently to the period when the tiles were laid; in all probability about the end of the fourteenth or early in the fifteenth century. The tiles in each of the chapels show irregularities of pattern, as if at some period the pavements had been damaged, and repaired with such spare tiles as were available, without reference to the existing patterns. This may indicate the damage done at the period of the occupation of the Abbey by the men-at-arms of the Prince of Wales (afterwards Henry V) during the time of Owen Glyndwr's rebellion, when they used the Abbey Church as a stable, and which is so graphically described in the Chronicle of Adam of Usk, p. 191. In laying the tiles, colour was deemed of more importance than pattern. More especially this is so where the tiles with heraldic devices are used; and in cases where the pattern is continuous, the colours have been so arranged as to form alternate bands or chevrons of light and dark tiles. Of the twenty varieties of tiles found at Strata Florida, fifteen of the patterns were used at Strata Marcella; and it is quite clear that they came from the same manufactory, and the same dies were used in impressing the ornament on the plastic clay, the material and workmanship corresponding in every particular. Similar tiles were also found during the recent excavations at Old St. Chad's Church, Shrewsbury, and have also been found at Barrow, near Broseley, Acton Scott Church, and Tong Church, all in the county of Salop. |