If you are interested in beautiful tiles and the history of tile design in the UK, here’s an interesting idea for a day out. For two weeks until the 18th of August, the magnificent floor at Liverpool’s St George’s Hall will be uncovered for public display. This is a rare opportunity to see one of the largest and most beautifully crafted historic tiled floors in the world.
The stunning tiled floor in the Great Hall is a spectacular example of Victorian design. It was laid in 1852, and is made up of over 30,000 colourful hand crafted ceramic mosaic tiles depicting complex patterns and images of dolphins, sea nymphs, the Roman god Neptune and the Liver bird, iconic symbol of Liverpool. The tiles were created at the famous Minton Hollins ceramics factory in Stoke-on-Trent, which also created the tiles which grace the floors of the US capitol Building in Washington DC.
Since the 1860s, the Great Hall floor has been generally covered up to allow for dancing and events to take place in the hall without damaging the tiles, but the coverings are removed occasionally for visitors to view the tiled floor. It only shown six times in the whole of the 20th century. This is the first time it has been on public display since August 2012, when it attracted thousands of visitors who came to marvel at its intricacy, beauty and craftsmanship. Guided tours are available for those who would like to learn more about this amazing piece of history.