the preparation of the clay. Examples of each type were submitted to The
Marley Tile Company Limited who kindly furnished information as to their
respective functions, which is incorporated in the following notes.
Plain roof-tiles of the form illustrated (Fig. 3) were
found in association with all three buildings recently excavated. They
measure between 6 and 6½ in. in width and 10¼ in. in length, the
average thickness being about ½ in. From the size and form of the holes
it is concluded that they were hung on the battens by wooden pegs driven
in on the under side. There was nothing to suggest nailing.
Tiles found by Colvin in Building D were only 9½ in. long
which may indicate that they came from a different source, though it is
almost certain they were of approximately the same age.
A variety of plain tile measuring 7¼ by 6¼ in. and
described as an "eaves tile" seems to have been made for use
either in the bottom course next to the eaves or alternatively in the
uppermost course under the ridge.
The "turret tile" was found near Building A.
There is no doubt of its antiquity and its form is of some significance.
In length it is 10¼ in.; the top edge is 2¾ in. wide and the lower
edge 6 in. The Marley Tile Company have stated: "The only known use
for a tile of this shape is for tiling a roof, or portion of a roof,
which is circular in plan, e.g., a turret or an oast house. The lower
edge of the tile shows a definite camber which is an intentional feature
to accommodate the curve of the roof." From the shape of the tile
it is estimated that the diameter of the circular roof would have been
about 20 ft. and the pitch very steep, the angle at the apex being
between 20° and 30°.
Obviously this tile was not used on an oast house as such
were unknown at that period, but it could very likely have come from a
circular dove-cot of the same general form. Had the significance of this
tile been realized before the conclusion of the digging, an extended
search would have been made for a circular foundation in the vicinity of
Regarding the ridge tile the Marley Company comment;
"Patterns of ridge tiles are still made and used virtually
identical with the specimen from Joyden's Wood. These were fixed by
lapping each successive tile for a distance of about 2 in., the joint
being bedded in mortar, a fragment of which is still in position on the
end of one of the specimens. A point of interest here is that the tile,
although rough and twisted, is slightly tapered to allow one end to be
inserted in the larger end of the next ridge tile. Another interesting
point in this specimen is the provision of a hole like those in the
plain tiles for the reception of a wooden peg. It is not obvious what
this hole was for as it could perform no useful function on a ridge even
if there were