English: Tile, 1845-1851, Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin V&A Museum no. C.1A-1978

Techniques: Earthenware, with inlaid glazed decoration (encaustic)
Artist/designer: Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin, Minton & Co.
Place: Stoke-on-Trent, England
Dimensions: Height 27 cm, Width 27 cm
Object Type: Encaustic tiles were produced in large quantities from the mid-19th century. The principal market for these tiles was for churches, both new and restored.
Design & Designing: This tile is one of five (C.1 to D-1978) designs originally been made by Pugin for use at the church of St Giles, Cheadle, between 1845 and 1846. However, as would often happen, the designs were re-used for other buildings. These particular tiles came from St George's Roman Catholic Cathedral in Southwark, London.

Places: The splendid new church of St George's in Southwark was the work of the Gothic revival architect and designer, Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin (1812-1852).It was consecrated in 1848 and in 1850 became the first Roman Catholic Cathedral in England since the Reformation. Catastrophic bombing raids in 1941 destroyed large parts of the cathedral, which was subsequently rebuilt and re-opened in 1958. The substantial damage to these tiles, which were laid in the sanctuary of the cathedral, occurred during the 1941 bombing raid.