Where did this go?
The tile did not travel throughout Europe or in the Mediterranean region. It’s one of the finest examples of medieval tiles of which were made on site. The tiles were found in July 1996 at the corner of Colonels Lane next to the Abbey field. The kiln in which these tiles were fired was discovered in 1922 alongside other discarded tiles proving the concept of being made on site.
The tile was donated to the British Museum by Dr. H Manwaring Shurlock. The current owner of the Abbey ruins was Mr. Grumbridge. Hoping to transform the historic site to construct himself a residence, Grumbridge's workers stumbled upon a "surface of concrete, on which were laid a large number of enriched tiles." Understanding his workmen's fascination with the tiles, Grumbridge removed the tile to a shed.
A number of tiles, especially those in the most perfect condition, were stolen.
Dr. Mainwaring Shurlock, who had come to reside in Chertsey, became interested in the tiles. When shown the pile of tiles, about the size of a cart-load, he had them "picked out from the dirt." Shurlock studied and aggregated the designs, and then created traces of the fragments. Shurlock was impressed by the beauty and technical excellence of these fragmented tiles– accompanied by a sense of allure from an antiquarian's perspective.
Some of the Chertsey tiles were in the possession of Reverend I. C. Clarke of Cowley House, and others by Mrs. Fox with the intention to floor her summer house at St. Anne's Hill. For the Reverend, there was piqued interest at the time on the history of Christianity or the connection between these local tiles and English antiquities. Other tiles had been added to the museum of Sir John Soane.
Using further funds accrued by Shurlock, another excavation was initiated in 1855. A pile of broken tiles were uncovered as a result. Shurlock's influence on the excavation and interest of the tiles aided to discover a handful of these tiles. Without his hand, many of these tiles would remain undiscovered or stolen and scattered throughout England.
Shurlock's gift to the British Museum presents itself today as the foundation for the large collection of Chertsey tiles.
