LPF97 - Low Pasture, Byland Abbey

Ceramic Building Materials

S Garside-Neville

Medieval material

The medieval material from this sample comprises roof tile and floor tile. The floor tile is probably a mosaic tile. It is very worn, has scooped keying in its lower surface, and must date to between 13th and 15th century. The roof tiles are combined peg and nib tile, which means that the method of hanging could be either via a nail or wooden peg, or via the nib. If there was a shortage of nails or wooden pegs, the nib could be used, or perhaps the nib facilitated the easy patching of roofs. The roof tiles are very well made, having smooth, regular surfaces. The nibs have been carefully cut.

There are also two fragments of stone that appear to have been cut and worn, so may have been used for paving.

Post medieval material

This is represented by the brick from context 1090. Its dimensions point to a post medieval date. It may have been used in a floor as there is a well worn surface on its top face. There is also a fragment of pantile from context 1080.

Conclusions

The sample is a valuable indication of the type of roofing used within the Abbey area. As there appears to be no publication that indicates the type of roofing at the Abbey, it is essential to retain the sample until it can be studied further.

Context Forms/s Date

1010 Plain, Plain (reused), Limestone 13-16th

(T16, ?paving)

1020 Nib (refined fabric, cut), Plain 13-16th

(refined fabric)

1041 Plain (refined fabric) 13-16th

1050 Plain (refined fabric) 13-16th

1060 Plain (refined fabric) 13-16th

1070 Peg-Nib (Top, Circular Peghole one, 13-16th

corner, Cut Nib other corner,

refined fabric, well made)

1080 Pantile, Plain 19th+

1090 Brick (B113T64, worn upper surface, 16th+

sand moulded), Limestone

(T26, paving?), Peg (sooted)

Peg (reused), Floor (B78T38

scooped keying, slip, glaze

on edges, worn upper surface)