The first decorated floor tiles in England were made in the 10th century AD, probably by the monks, for monasteries like St Albans and Bury St Edmunds. Highly decorated, two-colour floor tiles were appearing in the wealthy Cistercian monasteries and royal palaces by the middle of the 13th century. Henry III (reigned 1215-72) was an influential patron of the tile industry. An inscription on a tiled pavement in the chapter house of Westminster Abbey (placed there by Henry himself) praises the king for these works. Some of the most expensive tiles were pictorial. A series of round tiles illustrating episodes from the Romance of Tristan were found at Chertsey Abbey (Surrey), which was also a production site for tiles, although they were probably originally made for a royal palace, perhaps Westminster.

By the end of the 13th century there were commercial tileries operating in various parts of the country. They would have produced the plain glazed and coloured tiles used for the pavements shown in many paintings and manuscript illuminations of the time. Medieval tilers made roof tiles as well as floor tiles. In the 14th century, tile making became more widespread, and decorative tiles made for local use were much simpler and the designs more repetitive.