Every tile we create is handcrafted in our Shropshire workshop using traditional Victorian manufacturing techniques that have stood the test of time. By combining authentic methods with decades of ceramic expertise, we produce handmade Victorian and Arts and Crafts tiles that faithfully capture the beauty, character and quality of original period ceramics.
From preparing the clay to the final kiln firing, every stage of production is carried out with meticulous care. Each tile is individually glazed or hand decorated, ensuring exceptional quality, consistency and authenticity.
We manufacture and stock a wide range of blank tile sizes and accessories in-house. Because these are already prepared, plain-coloured tile orders can typically be glazed and dispatched within 7–10 working days, while our hand-painted decorative tiles are usually completed within 3–4 weeks.
From Raw Clay
A defining feature of original Victorian and Arts and Crafts tiles is their crisp square edges and smooth, flat surface. To achieve this, our plain tiles are pressed from a carefully blended body of ball clay, china clay and fluxes. They are then slowly dried before being biscuit fired in our kilns at 1060°C, producing a strong and dimensionally accurate ceramic body ready for glazing.
Our embossed tiles, borders, dados, curved tiles and decorative accessories are produced using traditional slip-casting techniques. A specially prepared liquid clay, known as casting slip, is poured into plaster moulds to create each individual piece. Once removed from the moulds, every tile is carefully fettled, sponged and dried by hand before being biscuit fired to 1060°C, creating a perfect foundation for decoration and glazing.
Hand Glazing
Our Victorian glazes are created from a transparent base glaze combined with carefully developed ceramic stains. By varying the amount of glaze applied, we can produce the rich depth of colour and subtle tonal variation that are so characteristic of original Victorian ceramics.
Each tile is individually hand dipped into the glaze. Because the final colour only develops during firing, achieving consistent results requires considerable experience, skill and judgement. This traditional process creates the gentle variation in tone from tile to tile that gives handmade ceramics their warmth, depth and individuality—qualities that simply cannot be achieved through mass production.
Hand Decoration by Skilled Craftspeople
Every decorative tile is finished by hand using traditional techniques. Some designs are individually hand painted, while others are painted using carefully prepared templates, depending on the methods used to produce the original Victorian designs.
Years of research and experimentation have enabled us to develop underglaze colours and fluxes that, when combined with our reactive glazes, recreate the richness, vibrancy and subtle character of historic Victorian and Arts and Crafts ceramics. The result is decoration with a depth and authenticity that only traditional hand craftsmanship can achieve.
Final Kiln Firing
Once glazing and decoration are complete, every tile returns to the kiln for its final firing. During this stage, the glaze matures, colours fully develop and the decoration becomes permanently fused into the ceramic surface.
The result is a durable, beautifully finished tile that is equally suited to kitchens, bathrooms, fireplaces, period restorations, heritage buildings and architectural projects throughout the UK and around the world.
Traditional Craftsmanship for Modern Projects
Our manufacturing methods remain deliberately traditional because we believe authentic craftsmanship produces exceptional ceramic tiles. Every tile reflects the care, knowledge and experience that only true hand production can provide.
Whether you’re restoring a listed Victorian property, renovating an Edwardian or Arts and Crafts home, designing a luxury interior or specifying tiles for a commercial project, our handmade ceramic tiles combine historical authenticity with the durability required for modern living.
If you would like advice on selecting colours, matching existing period tiles or creating a bespoke design, our experienced team would be delighted to help.
