Some of the Finds

Valencian Tiles

As a result of diving operations in the river adjoining the site, a number of artefacts of archaeological interest were recovered from the river, including several pieces of blue and white tile. Following examination by the Museum of London it was suggested that these tiles might well be unique and of national, if not international importance.

With the help of generous funding by the Surrey Archaeological Society the Council for British Archaeology in the South East and Awards for All South East. the provenance of the tiles has been established by scientific analysis, consultation with various international experts on Antwerp, Spanish and Portuguese tiles and comparison with tiles of similar date from other manorial houses in south-east England.

The tiles have all proved to be Valencian although these may derive from different production sites or be of different dates.

Although Valencian tiles have also been found at Guildford, Billericay and Dartford, the Palace site has produced the largest assemblage of such tiles found anywhere in Britain. Unfortunately, there are no whole tiles from the Palace site but whole tiles found at Billericay and Newark Priory give an idea of how some of the Palace tiles would have looked when these were laid in the late 15th and early 16th centuries.

The Palace fragment of the rose tile on the left would have looked like the corresponding whole tile on the right, discovered at Newark Priory.
The Palace fragment of the shield tile on the left would have looked like the corresponding whole tile on the right, discovered at Billericay.
In addition, the larger Palace fragment on the left has enabled the whole design to be reconstructed in a four tile arrangement on the right.

Note: The full report on this research has been published in the Surrey Archaeological Collections:
Ian M Betts. Spanish tin-glazed tiles from Woking Palace and other sites in south-east England. Surrey Archaeological Collections, 94, 53-69, 2008.