Top tiles roof houses since Nelson victory

One of the oldest and most prestigious tile makers in Britain is in the Black Country.

Hinton Perry & Davenhill Ltd has been manufacturing Dreadnought Roof Tiles since 1805 - the year of Nelson's victory over the French at the Battle of Trafalgar.

Its remarkable achievement has its foundation in the rich source of raw materials which powered the region.

Coal, iron ore, limestone, casting sand and fire clay are the five defining minerals vital to the rise of the Black Country into one of the greatest manufacturing regions the world has ever seen.

Coal it was that burned Britain into industrial supremacy in the 19th century. Iron it was that transformed the world through a second great iron age, limestone it was that fluxed out the impurities of the iron. Casting sand it was that shaped the molten iron and fire clay it was that was baked into bricks that could withstand the fiercest of temperatures and which lined the furnaces, hearths and glass works of the region.

This fire clay was mined from local pits, brought to the surface in slab form and then weathered. It was fetched up mostly from Brierley Hill, Amblecote and King-swinford. The local clay not only made formidable bricks but superb house tiles.

The rapidly expanding urban population needed homes to live in and tiles were a major element in the building of houses, factories, churches and other structures.

Hinton Perry & Davenhill Ltd has manufactured high quality tiles at the Dreadnought Works, in Dreadnought Road, Pensnett, for more than 200 years. Remarkably, it remains a family owned and managed business, crucial factors which bring with them a long-term perspective and a sense of continuity.

From its beginnings, the owners have striven to manufacture the finest plain clay roof tiles available by using Etruria Marl clay taken from their quarry nearby.

An extract from the company's first brochure printed in the 1920s declared proudly: "Roofing Tiles made at these works 100 years ago are on buildings now and in perfect condition, the clay being the strongest in the Kingdom".

Clay tiles have been used for roofs since at least the 13th century and for generations thereafter they were manufactured nationwide, wherever there were deposits of clay tile. It was widely accepted that the strongest tiles of all were made in the Midlands from Etruria Marl. This heavy clay was also most important for the making of bricks and it was found both on the edges of the Black Country and in the Potteries.

Traditionally, in the Potteries the tiles were placed in the kilns in 'bungs' stacked one on top of the other. This process prevented the face of the tiles being exposed to the kiln gases. Etruria Marl is a red clay and so to get a different colour for the tiles it was necessary to apply a coloured sand.

By contrast, in South Staffordshire and Shropshire, the tiles were set in the kiln on edge and were held apart by their nibs. This allowed the kiln atmosphere to react with the iron in the clay, producing a variety of natural brindle clay colours on the tile surface ranging from red to brown and to a deep Staffordshire blue.

Dreadnought always favoured their local process. Although it was a more expensive method of production, it resulted in a superior aesthetic quality in the tiles which in turn led to a premium price. The use of three nibs, instead of two, gave extra support, holding the edge-set tiles apart when they were in the kiln and were thus important to the manufacturing process.

Kiln furniture used in modern production now makes additional nibs unnecessary.

Dreadnought's passionate belief in natural clay colours was made clear in the 1920s Brochure when it was emphasised that all its tiles were "natural colours not stained". It is a passion that is as strong today. The natural clay colours produced by Dreadnought are derived through the delicate control of the kiln atmosphere with no stains or pigments added.

The multi-coloured and blue tiles are achieved by a reduction atmosphere in the kilns, with a longer and more intense period applied to bring about the darker colours. Dreadnought is now unique in this respect.

A staunch belief that the appearance of its tiles should never be compromised lies at the heart of the Dreadnought philosophy. This belief enhances the sustainability of their products. Some second-hand Dreadnought tiles that are up to 100 years old sell for more than do new tiles.

Ongoing sustainability is attached to a desire to embrace green technology. This has led to investment in a heat recovery plant to use waste heat Dreadnought is actively engaged in continuous improvement so as to ensure that the business thrives and sustains the employment of its 62-strong loyal workforce.