Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 3.djvu/182

154 of yellow, having the effect of coarsely drawn circles, sprung from the centres of these spaces, and nowhere continued so as to intersect.

11. This tile is divided by continuous yellow lines into sixteen squares, each containing a square with its sides hollowed out.

12. Within a border, embattled externally, are nine six-petalled flowers, their petals formed like those of primroses. They are divided into three rows by wavy lines.

13. A Catharine-wheel window, (four tiles completing the pattern,) the capitals of the shafts marked. The corners are filled with parts of a circle and a quatrefoil.

This is a very common pattern. It occurs in fragments at Ipplepen, Devon; at Exeter cathedral: and at Winchester it is largely used in the Lady Chapel. The Haccombe example is, like most of the other tiles at the same place, very carelessly executed; in fact there is not one tile with the shafts proceeding straight from the centre, though several moulds were employed, as appears from the number of these shafts, varying from nine to eleven.

The number of existing examples of the original arrangement of pavements of decorative tiles is now so small, that any authentic evidence, such as the remains which have been described, deserves attention. It is chiefly owing to the neglect of such authorities, that the pavements which of late years have been so much in vogue, as accessories to architectural decoration, have for the most part so unsatisfactory an appearance, and harmonize so little with the structures which they are destined to adorn. 2em