A sea of tiles, nothing out there can compare. You can thumb through a catalogue, browse the shop window, but after seeing these the others seem only halfway.
Laid over 7 centuries ago and still doing what they were intended for. I don’t think you need a clearer indication of the quality and workmanship of this craft.
Wandering through Winchester Cathedral, the eyes are naturally drawn upward. The intention of these mostly unrecorded master masons was to thrill the well-travelled pilgrim, enticing their gaze toward the divine promise that comes from being with what was perceived as the right god. For me, what lies beneath our feet can be just as inspiring as what glistens above.
I wonder how many feet have strode across these tiles? The makers have long since departed this world, leaving us the beauty of their prints, their craft long since mislaid amidst the pursuit of new forms and progress.
I cannot walk across this field of ancient tiles without feeling a connection to a distant past, a sense of pilgrimage, the weary traveller, an anticipation of finally making it to their saints tomb, just a few feet away.
Winchester Cathedral houses a sea of these rare tiles, showcasing a craft that has since largely disappeared.