New handmade clay tile launched by Marley

A new range of premium handmade clay tiles has been launched by Marley.

TheCanterbury handmade range acknowledges Marley's heritage of previous handmade clay tiles, which were available until the early 1990s.

Marley is bringing back traditional skills to provide a genuine handmade tile that architects are looking for in today’s market. The new Canterbury tiles will be available in three colours; Chailey (orange), Loxleigh (antique) and Burford (brown) with its own handmade fittings range.

Premium projects and heritage sites can benefit from the high quality aesthetic of the richly coloured tiles, particularly in areas subject to specific planning requirements and where handmade roof tiles form part of the architectural vernacular, such as the south east.

The tiles will be handmade by skilled craftsmen, using locally sourced Etruria Marl generally accepted to be the finest clay for strength and durability. This traditional process includes shaping and pummelling the clay by hand into a mould before being sent for drying and firing. Selected sands are used in the process, which help release the tile from the mould and create different colours and textures. This handmaking process brings random undulations and variations that give each tile its unique appearance and character.

Sarah Jackson, marketing product manager at Marley, explains: “The Canterbury tiles will give the premium character and timeless beauty that is expected from a genuine handmade clay tile, but also the high strength and durability from using Etruria Marl. The tiles are available in rich mellow colours with soft edges, fully formed nibs and a sandfaced texture which is synonymous with the handmaking process.

“The Canterbury tiles will give a beautifully distinctive handmade finish to the roof as each tile will be as unique as the hands that made them. The handmade range enables architects to have more choice when it comes to specifying for both heritage projects and those that demand a premium clay aesthetic. The robust nature of the tiles also means they can specify with confidence that the tile can withstand the harshest UK weather.”

The new range is manufactured at Marley’s Keele factory, which specialises in clay plain tile production. Combining the knowledge and experience gained from handmaking the original Canterbury collection, the site is ideally suited to use the skills learnt to produce the new range of premium Canterbury handmade clay tiles, which is available from early 2015.