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P.O. Box 2282, Brentwood, TN 37027

HERITAGE SERVICE

Keymer Heritage Service is a specialist conservation and restoration service that creates bespoke handmade roof tiles and fittings.

There is a growing demand for highly trained craftsmen who understand the wide range of skills and methods used in conservation projects. Companies such as Keymer play a valuable part in the programme, allowing students to see the techniques being used in a real working environment...

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From cottages and barns to stately homes, many of our older buildings offer a profusion of detail that, today, would be deemed an architectural luxury.

Over the centuries, the use of roofing material has varied from place to place, with a diversity determined by local geography and material availability.

One of the most enduring and appealing of these materials was natural clay; which became desirable for its mellow appearance and weathering properties. Its popularity as a roof covering was enhanced by its unique ability to be pressed into a multitude of shapes and designs.

This enabled past designers to create an endless landscape of decorative roofs through the inclusion of ornate finials, ridges and hips. Builders in the 17–19th centuries in particular placed great emphasis on appearance and detail and strove to add character to their work.

Family homes that would be passed down through generations were often constructed to include bespoke features that reflected the occupants’ tastes or even personal wealth. Individuality within a style in keeping with the overall local vernacular was of paramount importance.

An impressive place in Britain’s history

Sandtoft’s Greenwood pantile and the cross cambered Keymer Goxhill plain tile were chosen to complement the original architecture of the Georgian houses and reflect the original materials that would have been used in the early 1800s. Both of these clay tiles are handmade by Sandtoft’s and Keymer’s heritage experts in much the same way as clay tiles would have been a hundred years ago from the alluvial plains of the river Humber.

Each craftsman has his own style which makes each tile slightly different and gives the roof a very traditional look. To produce the Goxhill, coloured sand is worked into the tile by hand before it is carefully moulded onto a drying support before firing. To ensure consistency, a tunnel kiln fires all the tiles at a constant and precise temperature, whilst maximising heat recovery and energy efficiency.

Spitalfields London

Thank you. We have received your request for samples. We hope to have these with you as soon as possible.

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NEXT KEYMER EVENTS

Heritage Open Day
14th of September 2019
Ewhurst, Surrey
More Info