Design for Membland Hall tile panel

This is a design for a tile panel composed of 66 earthenware tiles with painted underglaze decorated with a 'drop' design of foliage of Persian inspiration, in green and blue on a dark blue ground. This tile panel was designed by William Morris and produced by William De Morgan in 1876 as the result of a commission by the banker Edward Baring for his bathroom at Membland Hall, north of Plymouth (now demolished). Six panels for Membland Hall were made from this design. One is in the William Morris Gallery’s collection (C176).

The composition of this panel is different from Morris's wallpaper designs of the same period, having larger motifs and more free space. The wallpapers generally had smaller detail and denser patterning. The repeat design at the edges indicates that the panels were intended to be set close together so that the pattern could progress laterally.

William De Morgan had set up his pottery in Chelsea in 1872 and had already designed tile panels, and as many as 300 six-inch tiles by 1877. The Membland Hall commission was to be the largest panel he attempted. Each panel measures 1600mm x 915mm, and is made up of 66 six inch tiles. It was a remarkable achievement to have produced these large panels on such small premises.

This design exhibits vertical symmetry, meaning that it was only necessary to colour one half in order to convey the necessary information.