The ornate tiled floor at All Saints Church is integral to its architectural design, with its elaborate patterns complementing the striking multi-coloured brickwork of the building.
The floor’s diamond-shaped patterns of red, buff and black tiles at the centre of the nave draw the eye directly to the altar. Beyond the dwarf wall, the tiling in the chancel becomes still more decorative to reflect the proximity to the high altar beyond. The sanctuary is laid with the most elaborate Minton tiles to give worshippers a sense of being closer to God.
The architect of All Saints Church, George Edmund Street, was famously insistent in overseeing all details of its design himself. It is central to his vision for the church that its polychrome style, in patterned red and black brick supplemented with Bath stone, marble, alabaster and wall tiles, found an answering echo in its tiled floor.
Street’s original Victorian tiles remained in place for more than 160 years, but wear and tear meant that the impact of their splendour diminished from early in the 20th century. Dozens of individual tiles cracked or became loose over time, particularly in the central aisle. Repairs were attempted in some areas using cement, which disfigured the effect of the original design. Linoleum and carpets were laid to mitigate broken or missing tiles but by the early 21st century a question arose about whether the floor remained safe, given the number of damaged tiles.