Old Hall: Overmantel Tiles

Old Hall: Over-mantel tiles by Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co

These tiles form part of a highly decorated over-mantel over the fireplace erected to the design of G.F. Bodley in 1861/62 in the Hall. The original tiles were designed by various artists (see below) and manufactured in 1864 by Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. The two nine-tile representations of the foundress queens (top left and top right) were designed by Madox Brown and made by Morris & Co. in 1873 (at a cost of £24 plus 10s. packing) and presumably added to the set shortly thereafter. The depictions and likely attributions are as follows:

• Two angels (top centre): Morris.
• St Bernard (top centre left): Burne-Jones ?
• St Margaret (top centre right): Burne-Jones ?
• January: the two-faced god Janus, Burne-Jones (see another version at the William Morris Gallery).
• February: Warming, Burne-Jones (see another version at the William Morris Gallery).
• March: Pruning, Madox Brown.
• April: Flower-bearer, Morris ? (see another version at the William Morris Gallery).
• May: Hunting with hawk and dog, Madox Brown.
• June: Scythe sharpening, Morris ?
• July: Reaping, Rossetti ?
• August: Threshing, Rossetti.
• September: Vintage, Rossetti ?
• October: Feeding hogs, Burne-Jones ?
• November: Sowing, Madox Brown.
• December: Killing hogs, Madox Brown
• Margaret of Anjou (top left): Madox Brown, drawn 1873.
• Elizabeth Woodville (top right): Madox Brown, drawn 1873.

The border and background swan design tiles are attributable to William Morris.

The Queens' versions of these "Labour of the Month" tiles do not display the brilliant colours of other copies in existence. It is thought that the original colours (underneath the glazing) were attacked by acid leaching through from the chimney stack behind. Many of the tiles have been over-painted (on top of the glazing) by an inferior hand.

In some other "Labour of the Month" collections, June shows sheep shearing instead of scythe sharpening.

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