Pressed, dust-pressed, floor, wall, encaustic, tube-lined… we share a lot about tableware and teaware but in this blog we’re talking about all things tiles.
With a variety of tile manufacturers in the UK producing a whole host of styles, shades and
sizes, we thought we’d feature the first tile manufacturer from our directory. Visiting the factory recently for National Tile Day to celebrate creativity, craftsmanship and sustainability, read on to learn more about the oldest surviving purpose-built tile factory in the world.
Craven Dunnill Jackfield Tile Works
Based in the historic Ironbridge Gorge in Shropshire, Jackfield Tile Works was designed by
architect Charles Lynam. Crafting custom tiles and ceramics since 1872, Craven Dunnill
Jackfield has a rich history.
All of their tiles are made to order, on site. Specialising in Victorian encaustic floor tiles and
traditional tube-lined wall tiles, they’re experts in heritage project consultations. They also offer colour and product matching along with contemporary ceramic solutions such as CAD, mural design and bespoke commissions.
Their factory is split into two separate workshops - one area for making floor tiles, another area for making wall tiles. This is because both require different clay and manufacturing processes.
What Are Encaustic Tiles?
Godwin, Maw and of course… Minton - all British manufacturers known for producing encaustic tiles but what does that mean and how are they produced today? Encaustic is where a layer of thick colour is used to fill inlays, done with liquid slip. Encaustic tiles are thick, heavy and matt.
Popular in the Victorian era, encaustic tiles can be highly ornate, with many colours used in one tile. All the big names made their own designs. If you start researching encaustic tiles, you’ll discover so many variations out there, with never-ending colour combos and design motifs.
Luckily, if you’re sourcing some new period style tiles or wanting to restore or replace original tiles, Craven Dunnill Jackfield are experts in this area, led by Chris, their master craftsman.
How Encaustic Tiles Are Made
Not wanting to give too much away and spoil your tour, here’s a very brief overview of how Jackfield makes encaustic tiles...
Getting raw powdered clay material from Stoke-on-Trent, they mix with water and push through a filter press. This removes excess water and turns the slip clay into plastic clay. This clay is then ‘knocked back’ (like making bread) to remove any air, to form a ‘square muffin’. Jackfield make all their own moulds from plaster, with the encaustic tile design carved by hand. In medieval times, wooden moulds were used too. The clay is then placed on the mould and goes into another press, this time the weight comes from above to force the clay into the mould to create the tile. This is then left for a short time to dry out and harden.
All of the material is fully recyclable - off-cuts and trimmings are kept and turned into backing clay for tiles, so nothing is wasted. Jackfield can create nearly any colour of clay and glaze, with the advantage of being able to produce very small batches of bespoke tiles - which really sets them apart from any competitors.
Different Types Of Wall Tiles
Wall tiles tend to be shiny, with an outer clear glaze creating a protective layer that’s easy to wipe clean in areas like kitchens and bathrooms.
Jackfield offer such a variety of tile options - plain, screen-printed motifs, embossed designs using a mould and tube-lined tiles - a technique using liquid slip to draw onto the surface, creating a raised line to stop glazes from bleeding.
An Education In Tiles
To learn more about the history of tiles, there’s plenty to read online or you can arrange to visit the Jackfield Tile Museum in person, which is now part of the National Trust.
When visiting the Tile Museum, you can also book yourself onto a Jackfield Tile Decorating
Workshop. A lovely lady named Jen leads hands-on tile workshops for schools, families, teams and corporate days.
An award-winning programme, hosting workshops for thousands of students each year in traditional ceramic decoration and manufacturing processes, covering tube-lining, slip casting, freeform and encaustic tile making, we loved learning how Craven Dunnill Jackfield puts such an importance on education - sharing skills, knowledge and passion. We tried our hand at tube-lining while we were visiting and it’s not as easy as Jen makes it look!
Commissions & Collaborations
Creativity, craftsmanship and sustainability. Heritage, hospitality and artist commissions. Collaborations with luxury interior brands such as...
A vast selection of styles and sizes of wall tiles, floor tiles and teapot stands perfect for gifting, Craven Dunnill Jackfield has it all.