Why was this made, and how was it used?
In search of rebuilding the Abbey after parts of it being destroyed in the subsequent fires stemming from the Peasants Revolt in 1235, the decorative tiles were presumed to have been laid between 1250 and 1270. To refloor parts of the church, these decorative tiles were inlaid inside a small room for worshipers and visitors. Due to the design, the two-colored tiles lasted through periods of turmoil. In fact, when workmen came upon a concrete floor on which the decorative tiles were set, many of them were either stolen or broken into pieces to prevent builders from spending extraneous time admiring the tiles.
The Chertsey tiles were discovered to have been scattered in different locations around Surrey. From St. Ann’s Hill to Buckinghamshire, these tiles were excavated from different locations as well. All of these tiles didn’t stem directly from the Abbey, but similarities between those in the Hailes, Gloucestershire, and Halesowen Abbey speak of a clouded past.