SECTION 3.9:CLAYDON PIKE CERAMIC BUILDING MATERIAL by Leigh Allen

INTRODUCTION

TILE TYPES

FABRICS

FORMS
A Tegulae (302 fragments)
B Imbrices (545 fragments)
C Box tiles (379 fragments)
D Plain tiles (753 fragments)
E Large tiles and bricks (139 fragments)

MARKS ON TILE

FIRED CLAY SKYLIGHT

DISCUSSION

STONE SLATES

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


BIBLIOGRAPHY

Table 1: Fairford, Claydon Pike: Quantification of tile forms by weight
Table 2: Fairford, Claydon Pike: Quantification of tile fabric by weight
Table 3: Fairford, Claydon Pike: Quantification of tile fabrics by weight with known sources

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Introduction

All the tile recovered during excavation of the site at Claydon Pike was recorded, including even the smallest fragments. This amounted to a total weight of 434 kg. Each fragment of tile or brick was recorded on a form listing context, fabric, weight, tile type, thickness, total dimensions (where they existed), tegula flange height (when relevant), decoration and additional comments. Representative and unusual examples were set aside for further examination. The data was then fed onto the computer for analysis, the results of which have been incorporated into the following summary.

Tile Types

Six main categories of tile type were recognised:

A Tegulae - identifiable by the presence of flanges, cut away corners or thumb grooves along the inner edge of the flange.

B Imbrices - identifiable by their curving shape.

C Tubuli (Box Tiles) - identifiable by the presence of a key for plaster made by fingers, a comb or a roller stamp. This category also contained fragments from Box voussoir but they were only identifiable as such if a large proportion of the tile survived intact.

D Plain flat tiles - thickness of up to 32mm.

E Large tiles and bricks - thickness over 32mm.

X Indeterminate fragments.

The weights of each type both in g and as a percentage of the total sample are shown in Table 1.

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Fabrics

Each fragment of tile was examined macroscopically (x 20 lens) according to guidelines suggested by D P S Peacock. A total of 12 main fabric types were recorded. The weights of each fabric type both in grams and as a percentage of the total sample are shown in Table 2.

Fabric 1: A soft soapy fabric reddish-yellow (5YR 7/8) in colour containing sparse amounts of red iron ore and black grog and abundant mica inclusions.

Fabric 2: A smooth fabric with pink (5YR 8/4) internal and external surfaces and reddish-yellow (5YR 7/8) core, containing a moderate amount of voids and quartz and sparse amounts of red grog, grey grog and mica.

Fabric 3: A soft smooth fabric light red (2.5 YR 6/8) in colour containing a moderate amount of quartz and grey grog and a sparse amount of limestone and mica inclusions.

Fabric 4: A soft smooth fabric pink (5YR 7/4) in colour containing abundant limestone voids and sparse amounts of iron ore and grey/orange grog inclusions.

Fabric 5: A harsh yet easily friable fabric light red (2.5 YR 6/6) in colour containing a moderate amount of quartz, red iron ore and grey grog inclusions and a sparse amount of white mica.

Fabric 6: A smooth yet hard fabric light red (2.5 YR 6/7) in colour containing a moderate amount of calcareous and black grog and a sparse amount of red iron ore and mica inclusions.

Fabric 7: A soft soapy fabric light red (2.5 YR 6/6) in colour containing sparse amounts of red iron ore and black grog and abundant mica inclusions.

Fabric 8: A rough hard fabric with reddish-yellow (5YR 7/8) internal and external surfaces and a light red (2.5 YR 6/8) core, containing a moderate amount of quartz and sparse amounts of red iron ore and grog inclusions.

Fabric 9: A very hard rough fabric with red (10R 5/8) internal and external surfaces and a core of badly mixed red (10R 5/8) and grey 7YR N6) clay, containing abundant quartz and mica and sparse amounts of iron ore and grog inclusions.

Fabric 10: A rough yet soft fabric with reddish-yellow (5YR 7/6) internal and external surfaces and a light red (2.5 YR 6/8) core, containing a moderate amount of quartz and a sparse amount of calcareous red iron ore, grog and mica inclusions.

Fabric 11: A very hard, rough fabric light red (10R 6/8) in colour containing a moderate amount of quartz and grog and a sparse amount of red iron ore, organic voids and mica inclusions.

Fabric 12: A hard rough fabric with light red (2.5 YR 6/6) internal and external surfaces and a reddish-yellow (7.5 YR 7/6) core, containing abundant quartz and a moderate amount of grey grog and red iron ore and a sparse amount of calcareous inclusions.

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Forms

A Tegulae (302 fragments)

238 fragments had a measurable thickness, the average of which was 21mm. Unfortunately tegulae vary considerably in thickness along the lower face, and with small fragments such as these it is difficult to obtain an average reading (where possible measurements should be taken at the centre point of the lower edge.)

One of the largest fragments present indicated that the tegulae were at least 150mm wide. Tegulae dimensions can range anywhere from 570mm x 380mm (Caerleon) to 310mm x 270mm (Piddington.)

By direct comparison with tegulae found at Cirencester and Beauport Park (Sussex) each tile could have measured c. 300mm in width by 390-400mm in length, with a possible average weight of 5818 g.

The height of the tegulae flanges were measured where possible, 175 measurements were taken indicating an average height of 43mm. The flanges showed notable differences in profile and could be divided into 8 distinct types. J Chauffin (1956 81-8 + P1 11) in his survey of tile from the Bas Dauphine region of France suggests that the earliest type of flange were more square cut and of less varied than those of a later date.

A certain number of the flanges showed traces of cut away corner sections, made with either diagonal or vertical cuts. These cutaways are necessary at both top and bottom ends of the tegulae to enable the tiles to slot into each other and thus form a solid and secure block. The slots could be divided into 4 distinct types. Type 3 being the most common at Claydon Pike.

A few of the tegulae showed incised semi-circular decoration on the lower half of the face. These marks are said to be signatures characteristic of a specific factory or individual (Brodribb 1979). They can appear as single, double or even triple circles produced by the sweep of a tool or possibly a finger (Ward 1911).

Also amongst the tegulae was a fragment with a nail-hole through it. Such holes are generally found within the top 30mm of the tile and would be covered by the overlap of the tile above. Tegulae requiring nails are those set lowest on the roof. The other tiles tend to stay put by sheer weight as long as the pitch of the roof does not exceed 40° (Rook.1979.p.295).

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B Imbrices (545 fragments)

539 fragments had a measurable thickness, the average of which was calculated as 16.8mm. As with the tegulae complete examples did not exist but two partially complete examples did have measurable widths of 140mm and 160mm.

By comparison with tiles of similar dimensions from Cirencester and Beauport park they would have measured 330-410mm in length with an estimated weight of 2470 grams.

C Box tiles (379 fragments)

No complete examples were recovered. Attempting any calculations of dimensions based on the average thickness of box tiles is very difficult as they vary enormously in size and shape.

The majority of the fragments had a combed key for plaster on their reverse side. The most common pattern consists of sweeps of the comb crossing the face of the tile diagonally. One fragment was decorated with roller stamp relief. It belongs to A G W Lowther's group 6 'Billet' pattern, similar examples of which have been found at Shakenoak and Washam Bottom in Oxfordshire.

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D Plain tiles (753 fragments)

This category contains 753 fragments which show no trace of a flange, curve or key.

Those fragments with thicknesses up to 32mm could be fragments from tegula too small to display traces of a flange, cut out or signum. Therefore only those 139 fragments with a thickness over 32mm have definitely been considered as large tiles or bricks.

E Large tiles and bricks (139 fragments)

The table below illustrates how many fragments there are of each thickness (to the nearest 5mm) and by comparison with material from other sites suggests the dimensions and possible function of the tiles.

The only two complete examples of tile from the whole sample are both Laterculus Bessalis, they measure 175mm x 180mm x 30mm. They are particularly thin for this type of tile which could imply a late date, as earlier examples tend to be thicker. (Pers. com. M.Stone.)

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Marks on tile

Animal imprints

One fragment of tile from the site showed the imprint of a dog commonly found on tiles left out to dry in the sun. The depth of the imprint shows that the tile was fairly hard when the impression was made.

Graffiti

Excluding the ‘rainbow’ marks or signum found on tegulae one other fragment of tegula showed the remains of graffiti (5870). Incised with a sharp pointed instrument, the message is unclear, but it could be a fragment of a craftsman’s signature or merely a doodle.

Fired clay skylight

Also present amongst the body of material from Claydon Pike was a fragment subsequently recognised as a skylight hood. In order to enhance the light within tiled houses, circular holes were made in tegula and then partly covered by semi-circular clay hoods (9251).

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Discussion

Unfortunately the nature of the sample, as can be seen from the statistical evidence, proved to be disappointingly fragmentary. The absence of any tile stamps or distinguishing marks and the paucity of complete measurable dimensions meant that a great deal of comparisons had to be relied on.

Despite the fact that all of the tile from the site was recovered as excavated we have only a very small fraction of the tile that would have originally existed. It had been hoped initially that the information from the tile could trace a possible bathhouse, this has not proved possible because the sample was so small. Any attempt to try and phase the various buildings again proved unreliable. Distribution maps of flooring, roofing and heating related material have merely confirmed the fact that tiled buildings existed across the site.

The area of highest concentration of all tile types was in the western part of Trench 13 (in the area of the aisled building), where the total weight of tile recorded was 155.158 kilograms. This however is a very small proportion of the total tile needed to roof a building complex of this size (c 212 m²). Calculation shows that such a complex would require 3.64 tons of tile (tegulae and imbrices), we have only 0.152 tons. Much of this could have been lost in the unexcavated parts of the site such as baulks and the topsoil. A large proportion of the tile, however, must have been taken from the site for reuse elsewhere.

In Trench 17 a fairly thin scatter of tiles predominantly floor tiles indicate the presence of a building that may have been heated. However, the amount of box tile fragments are merely a few kilograms and could be just an extension of the scatter from the building of Trench 13.

In Trench 29 one or possibly two buildings are known to exist. Plain tiles are fairly well represented but the roofing material is thinly scattered. Box tiles are not present at all as might be expected.

Another area of high concentration lies to the south-west of Trench 13 in Trench 19. The proportion of flooring tiles were second only to Trench 13. Roofing and heating related material are less well represented.

The final area of concentration lies in the eastern part of Trench 13 again the proportion of plain tiles is high compared to that of roofing material and box tiles. It is believed to be the site of an aisled barn that may have had a thatched roof.

It has been possible to provenance a few of the fabrics. The distinctive fabrics 1 and 9 are characteristic of the Minety kilns in Gloucestershire and together they comprise 23.9% of the total weight of tile. However most types of tile seem to be constructed out of all types of fabric. The other dominant fabric was fabric 3,of unknown provenance comprising 26.7% of the total weight. A very small proportion of tile (95%) comprised of fabric 12/14 which originates from Fairford itself and seems to be restricted to the construction of Bessalis tiles.

Table 3 gives a summary of the percentage by weight of each fabric along with their provenance where known.

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Stone slates

25 kilograms of stone slate were recovered from Trench 13. Only complete tiles were retained and recorded. The concentration of slates was restricted to the northern end of the building complex, which had been dated to the late Roman period. The evidence suggests that this building may have had a stone slate roof in its latest phase.

Acknowledgements

My special thanks to Mike Stone of the Passmore Edwards Museum, London, who helped me formulate the recording system and provided specialist advice throughout. Also to Simon Palmer who assisted me with the computing of the data.

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Table 1: Fairford, Claydon Pike: Quantification of tile forms by weight

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Table 2: Fairford, Claydon Pike: Quantification of tile fabric by weight

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Table 3: Fairford, Claydon Pike: Quantification of tile fabrics by weight with known sources

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