Tiles are all around us for everyone to enjoy. Ceramic tiles cover walls and floors, roofs and pavements, furniture and stoves, and can be seen in churches and mosques, pubs and shops, hospitals and homes. They are often combined with other forms of ceramics such as terracotta, faience and mosaic. The Tiles & Architectural Ceramics Society is for anyone interested in tiles and decorative ceramics related to buildings.
Tiles have a history stretching back more than one thousand years. In the 13th and 14th centuries Europe’s churches were paved with decorated tiles. At the same time buildings in the Arab world were adorned with richly coloured tiles. Holland was an important centre for tiles in the 17th and 18th centuries and in the 19th century Britain pioneered mass-produced tiles. The 20th century has seen both a decline and a revival in tile-making. Tiles are now much collected and studied.
Since 1981 the Tiles and Architectural Ceramics Society has served as Britain’s national society responsible for the study and protection of tiles and architectural ceramics, uniting people with common interests. An international membership of individuals and institutions is drawn from the fields of museums, conservation, manufacturing (both industrial and craft) architecture, design, and antiques.
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