The Tring Tiles
- Gallery: Room 40
- Culture: Late Medieval
- Made in: Tring (?)
- Date: 14thC
- Object type: tile
- Materials: earthenware
- Museum number: 1922,0412.7.CR
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
Before you is "The Tring Tiles," a striking example of late medieval earthenware craftsmanship. These tiles depict scenes from the apocryphal childhood of Christ, including the story of Christ mending a broken plough. Created using a method called sgraffito, each tile was first coated with white slip, then carefully carved to reveal the red clay beneath.
These tiles are part of a rare and fascinating set originally linked with Tring Church in Hertfordshire. They show how medieval artisans created intricate designs by hand, often working from painted cartoons. The detailed figures and scenes reflect popular religious stories of the time, especially during the 14th century.
Though their exact place of making is uncertain, the craftsmanship suggests a possible French origin. The Tring Tiles offer both artistic beauty and a glimpse into the devotional practices that inspired them.
See it in person
The Tring Tiles is on display in Room 40 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and take a photo of it to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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