Craven Dunnill facts for kids

Craven Dunnill & Co. Ltd. was a famous British company. It started on February 9, 1872. A businessman named Henry Powell Dunnill created it. The company was in Jackfield, Shropshire, England. They became one of the best makers of ceramic tiles in Britain.

A Growing Tile Factory

The company first used old buildings in Jackfield. But they soon moved to a new factory. This new place was called the 'Jackfield Works'. It opened on February 25, 1874. Charles Lynam, a skilled architect, designed the factory. He was known for designing industrial buildings. The Jackfield Works was built in the Gothic Revival style. This style copied old medieval church designs. The factory was long and thin. This design allowed raw clay to enter one end. Finished tiles would then come out the other end.

Craven Dunnill became very well known for its encaustic tiles. These tiles looked like old medieval designs. They had patterns made from different colored clays. Craven Dunnill encaustic tiles were often used in churches. You could find them in small parish churches. They were also used in large cathedrals. For example, they are in Chester Cathedral and Shrewsbury Cathedral.

The company also made many other types of decorative tiles. These included mosaic tiles and painted tiles. They also made tiles with a shiny finish called lustre. Some tiles had patterns printed on them. Others had raised designs. Craven Dunnill even made a small amount of art pottery. This pottery had raised patterns and shiny glazes.

From Production to Distribution

Tile making stopped at the Jackfield Works in 1951. After that, Craven Dunnill moved to Bridgnorth, Shropshire. There, it became a company that distributed tiles. This means they sold tiles made by other companies.

In 1983, the historic Jackfield Works site was bought. The Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust took it over. Part of the old factory is now the Jackfield Tile Museum. This museum is one of many run by the Trust.

Craven Dunnill returned to the site in 2000. They started a new company called Craven Dunnill Jackfield Ltd. They began making commercial tiles again. This was about 50 years after production had stopped. By 2012, this new company was very successful. Their team makes decorative wall and floor tiles. They use the same traditional Victorian methods. The company sells tiles all over the world. This includes places like the US, Australia, and Europe. The original Craven Dunnill company in Bridgnorth still sells tiles. It is also the main office for the company.

You can visit parts of the old factory. The Jackfield Tile Museum offers weekly guided tours. The Craven Dunnill Encaustic Tile Works is also a stop on the South Telford Heritage Trail.

Images for kids

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  Craven Dunnill's Jackfield tileworks building, now Jackfield Tile Museum.