A Bibliography of British Firebacks

Acland, J. E., 1927, ‘Mediæval Iron Fire-backs’, Proc. Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club, 48, pp.32-7.

Anon., 1886, ‘Notes and Queries 3, Sussex Iron Fire Back’, Sussex Archaeological Collections, 34, p.259.

Anon., 2 Dec 1905, ‘Old Kent and Sussex Fire-backs’, Country Life, 18, 465, pp.767-8.

Anon., 1907, ‘Armorial Iron Fire Back’, Montgomeryshire Collections, 34, p.212.

Anon., 30 Dec 1911, ‘Sussex Backs and their Story’, The Ironmonger, 30.

Anon., 23 Feb 1916, ‘Old Sussex Andirons and Firebacks’, The Christian Science Monitor, p.6.

Anon., Jan 1922, ‘Old Sussex Firebacks’, The Girl’s Own Paper and Woman’s Magazine, 43, 4, 191, 193; reprinted in The Girl’s Own Annual Illustrated, Vol. XLIII (London, Girl’s Own Paper, 1922), pp.191, 193.

Anon., 1929, ‘An interesting fireback’, Sussex Notes and Queries, 2, 8, p.242.

Anon., 1950, ‘Anne Forster Fireback’, Sussex Notes and Queries, 13, 3, p.66.

Anon., Oct 1998, ‘Martin Charteris: Fireback designer’, House & Garden, p.48.

Arnold, F., 1871, ‘Notes and Queries 3, Withyham Monumental Slab’, Sussex Archaeological Collections, 23, pp.320-1.

Baines, J. M., 1938, Bygones 3: Wealden Firebacks (Hastings Museum Publications, New series 15).

Baines, J. M., 1950, ‘Dating a Fireback’, Sussex County Magazine, 24, pp.401-403.

Baines, J. M., 1958, Wealden Firebacks (Hastings Museum).

Balcomb, J. T., Nov 1886, ‘An Extinct Sussex Art’, Art Journal, pp.337-340.

Beckerdite, L., 2014, ‘Pattern Carving in Eighteenth-Century Philadelphia’ in L. Beckerdite (ed.), American Furniture 2014 (Hanover, NH, Chipstone Foundation), pp.86-141.

Beetlestone, C. J., 1926, ‘Notes and Queries 6, A Sussex Fireback’, Sussex Archaeological Collections, 67, pp.221-222.

Bick, R. [correctly D.], Sep 1985, ‘Firebacks’, Period Homes, 6, 9, pp.21-24.

Blake, G., 1949, ‘A Freemason’s Fireback’, Freemasons’ Magazine and Masonic Mirror, 660, vol. IV, 3rd ser., pp.14-15.

Blomfield, R. T., 1886, ‘Sussex Ironwork of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries’, The Portfolio, 17, pp.169-173.

Blomfield, R. T., 1887, ‘Old English Iron-Work’, The Connoisseur, 1, 2, pp.37-43.

Browne, P. J., 27 Jul 1967, ‘Sussex Firebacks … History of an Early Application of Cast Iron’, Foundry Trade Journal, 123, pp.109-111.

Butterfield, W. R., 1916, ‘Old Wealden Firebacks’, The Connoisseur, 46, pp.197-209.

Butterfield, W. R., 10 Mar 1934, ‘Museum Corner: The Brede Ogre’, Hastings and St Leonards Observer.

Butterfield, W. R., 19 Jan 1935, ‘Museum Corner: Charles II Fireback’, Hastings and St Leonards Observer.

Butterfield, W. R., 16 Feb 1935, ‘Museum Corner: A Tudor Fireback’, Hastings and St Leonards Observer.

Calcutt, V., Autumn 2021, ‘Cast iron fire-back from East Shropshire’, Base Thoughts, Newsletter of the Antique Metalware Society, p.10.

Chambers, G. F., 1915, ‘Notes and Queries 6, Old Sussex Iron’, Sussex Archaeological Collections, 57, pp.223-4.

Christy, M., 30 May 1908, ‘The Old Flat Hearth and its Appliances, III – The Fire-back’, The Crown, The Court and County Families’ Newspaper, 99, Vol. 8, No. 9, pp.383-6.

Clinch, G., 1905, ‘Old Iron Fire-backs’ in Handbook of English Antiquities (London, L. Upcot Gill), pp.217-24.

Cowper, H. S., 1911, ‘A Series of Kentish Heraldic Firebacks and the Identification of the Arms’, Archaeologia Cantiana, 29, pp.40-6.

Dawson, C., 1914, ‘Sussex Iron Work and Pottery’, Sussex Archaeological Collections, 46, pp.1-54.

Denny, H., 1937, ‘Iron Fire-back’, Sussex Notes and Queries, 6, 6, p.189.

Dodd, A. E. and Dodd, E. M., 1957, ‘A Seventeenth Century Fireback’, Trans. North Staffordshire Field Club, 90, pp.39-40.

Easton, T. N. D. and Hodgkinson, J. S., 2013, ‘Apotropaic Symbols on Cast-Iron Firebacks’, Journal of the Antique Metalware Society, 21, pp.14-33.

Evans, F., 1957, ‘Sussex Firebacks’, in F. Lake (ed.) Daily Mail Ideal Home Book 1957 (London, Daily Mail), pp.113-115.

Eve, G. W., 1907, Heraldry as Art (London, Batsford), pp.186-8.

Evershed, S., 1871, ‘Chimney Back of Sussex Iron’, Sussex Archaeological Collections, 23, pp.119-122.

Faraday, L., 1939, ‘Sussex Firebacks in the Victoria and Albert Museum’, Sussex County Magazine, 13, pp.100-103.

Fitt, H. F., 1931, ‘Sussex Iron’, Sussex Notes and Queries, 3, 8, pp.254-5.

Gamble, H. G., 1 Nov 1889, ‘Metal-work from the Old Hall, Gainsborough’, The Building News, 57, 1817, pp.586 & 588.

Gardner, J. S., 1898, ‘Iron Casting in the Weald,’ Archaeologia, 56, 1, pp.133-64.

Gardner, J. S., 25 May 1907, ‘Old Wealden Ironwork at Warnham Court’, Country Life, 10, 542, pp.730-2.

Gardner, J. S., 1922, Ironwork Part III (London, HMSO), pp.158-68.

Garner, T. and Stratton, A., 1911, The Domestic Architecture of England during the Tudor Period, Part III (London, Batsford), pp.240-2 and pl.CLXXIX.

Gentle, R. and Feild, R., 1994, Domestic Metalwork 1640-1820 (Woodbridge, Antique Collectors’ Club), pp.332-3.

Gloag, J. and Bridgewater, D., 1948, A History of Cast Iron in Architecture (London, Allen & Unwin), pp.10-34.

Goodwin-Smith, R., 1936, ‘Some English Firebacks’, The Connoisseur, 97, pp.36-38.

Gordon-Stables, Mrs. [L.], May 1925, ‘Old English Firebacks’, International Studio, 81, 336, pp.129-32.

Hannah, I. C., 1919, ‘Notes and Queries 4, Fire-back from the Old Anchor inn at Hartfield, now in Pennsylvania’, Sussex Archaeological Collections, 60, p.146.

Hayden, A., 1912, Chats on Cottage and Farmhouse Furniture (London, Unwin), pp.296-306.

Herbert, P. and Schiffer, N., 1979, Antique Iron (Exton, PA, Schiffer Publishing), pp.144-56.

Hodgkinson, J. S., Autumn 2005, ‘An Ashburnham Fireback’, WIRG Newsletter, 42, Newsletter of the Wealden Iron Research Group, p.8.

Hodgkinson, J. S., Autumn 2006, ‘The Lenard Fireback’, WIRG Newsletter, 44, Newsletter of the Wealden Iron Research Group, pp.6-8.

Hodgkinson, J. S., Spring 2007, ‘A 17th Century Armorial Fireback’, WIRG Newsletter, 45, Newsletter of the Wealden Iron Research Group, p.3.

Hodgkinson, J. S., 2007, ‘A godly chimney plate and other firebacks from Brede’, Wealden Iron, Bulletin of the Wealden Iron Research Group, 2nd ser., 27, pp.18-26.

Hodgkinson, J. S., Spring 2008, ‘The “Europa” Fireback’, WIRG Newsletter, 47, Newsletter of the Wealden Iron Research Group, pp.7-8.

Hodgkinson, J. S., Autumn 2008, ‘A Charles II Fireback’, WIRG Newsletter, 48, Newsletter of the Wealden Iron Research Group, pp.9-10.

Hodgkinson, J. S., Spring 2009, ‘A Fireback with a Tale to Tell’, WIRG Newsletter, 49, Newsletter of the Wealden Iron Research Group, pp.7-9.

Hodgkinson, J. S., 2010, British Cast-Iron Firebacks of the 16th to Mid-18th Centuries (Crawley, Hodgers Books).

Hodgkinson, J. S., Autumn 2011, ‘A Memorial Fireback from Withyham’, WIRG Newsletter, 54, Newsletter of the Wealden Iron Research Group, p.9.

Hodgkinson, J. S., 2012, ‘Pre-Restoration Iron Firebacks’, Journal of the Antique Metalware Society, 20, pp.2-15.

Hodgkinson, J. S., 2013, ‘A Pope family fireback’, Wealden Iron, Bulletin of the Wealden Iron Research Group, 2nd ser., 33, pp.27-31.

Hodgkinson, J. S., 2014, ‘A Seventeenth-Century Sussex Woodcarver: the Evidence of Cast Ironwork’, Regional Furniture, 28, pp.39-48.

Hodgkinson, J. S., 2016, ‘The “Europa” fireback at Preston Manor, Brighton’, Sussex Archaeological Collections, 154, pp.297-9.

Hodgkinson, J. S., 2017, ‘Church Armorials and Firebacks: Evidence of an Early 17th-Century Woodcarver’, Trans. Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society, 135, pp.213-24.

Hodgkinson, J. S., 2018, ‘A series of Kentish firebacks and the possible identification of their founder’, Archaeologia Cantiana, 139, pp.312-15.

Hodgkinson, J. S., 2018, ‘The Anne Forster Firebacks’, Surrey Archaeological Collections, 101, pp.99-114.

Hodgkinson, J. S., Sep 2019, ‘Iron Firebacks’, Watch on the Weald, Newsletter of the Weald of Kent Protection Society , 162, p.8.

Hodgkinson, J. S., 2020, ‘A Skillet Handle on a Fireback’, Journal of the Antique Metalware Society, 25 (2020), pp.48-51.

Hodgkinson, J. S., Autumn 2020, ‘A Series of Distinctive Firebacks’, Base Thoughts, Newsletter of the Antique Metalware Society, pp.7-8.

Hodgkinson, J. S., Spring 2022, ‘The Boughton House Firebacks’, Base Thoughts, Newsletter of the Antique Metalware Society, pp.10-11.

Hodgkinson, J. S., 2022, ‘A Tudor Fireback Stamp: the progressive deterioration of its condition as evidence of the relative age of castings’, Journal of the Antique Metalware Society, 27, pp.42-5.

Hodgkinson, J. S., Spring 2024, ‘A Tudor fireback rediscovered’, WIRG Newsletter, 79, Newsletter of the Wealden Iron Research Group, pp.7-8.

Hodgkinson, J. S., Spring 2024, ‘A Tudor Fireback Rediscovered’, Base Thoughts, Newsletter of the Antique Metalware Society, p. 11.

Hodgkinson, J. S. and Quinn, P., Dec 2013, ‘The Two Martyrs Fireback: Further comments …’, Sussex Past and Present, Newsletter of the Sussex Archaeological Society, 131, p.8.

Holgate, M. S., 1918, ‘The Anne Forster Grave Slab’, Sussex Archaeological Collections, 59, pp.130-1.

Hughes, G. B., Sep 1929, ‘Old English Firebacks in the Collection of Mr John H. Every’, Old Furniture, 8, pp.28-32.

Hughes, G. B., 8 Aug 1931, ‘Old English Firebacks’, The Christian Science Monitor, p.11.

Hughes, G. B., May 1940, ‘Old English Firebacks’, Apollo, 31, 185, pp.117-20.

Hughes, G. B., 21 Apr 1955, ‘Old English Firebacks’, Country Life, 117, 3040, pp.1056-60.

Johnston, G. D. (ed.), Aug 1950, ‘Ann Forster fireback’, Sussex Notes and Queries, 13, 3, p.66.

Jones, G. V., Autumn/Winter 2023, ‘Dirgelwch i rywun ei ddatrys’ [A Mystery for Someone to Solve], Gwreiddiau Gwynedd Roots, 2, 85, pp.6-7.

Lethaby, W. R., 1890, ‘Cast Iron and its Treatment for Artistic Purposes’, Journal of the Royal Society of Arts, 38, pp.272-284.

Lethaby, W. R., 1 Oct 1926, ‘English Cast Iron I’, The Builder, 131, pp.537-8.

Lethaby, W. R., 5 Nov 1926, ‘English Cast Iron II’, The Builder, 131, p.741.

Lindsay, F. S., 1927, Iron and Brass Implements of the English House (London, Medici Soc.) p.6, figs.9-16.

Lister, R., 1960, Decorative Cast Ironwork in Great Britain (London, Bell), pp.81-90.

Llewellin, W., 1863, ‘Sussex Ironmasters in Glamorganshire’, Archaeologia Cambrensis, 3rd ser., 9, pp.89-91.

Lloyd, N., 1925, ‘Domestic Ironwork I’, Architectural Review, 58, pp.58-67.

Lower, M. A., 1849, ‘Iron Works of the County of Sussex’, Sussex Archaeological Collections, 2, pp.169-220 (esp. pp.188-9).

Lower, M. A., 1852, ‘Monumental Iron Slab of Anne Forster’, Sussex Archaeological Collections, 5, pp.202-4.

Lucas, B., Nov 1950, ‘Sussex Firebacks’, Sussex County Magazine, 24, 11, p.515.

MacQuoid, P. and Edwards, R., 1924, The Dictionary of English Furniture, Vol. 2 (London, Country Life), pp.81-6.

Meehan, J., 1906, ‘The Arms of the O’Rourkes: a metal casting from County Leitrim seventeenth-century foundries’, Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, 36, 2, pp.123-142.

Mercer, H. C., 1914, rev. 1941 & 1961, The Bible in Iron (Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Bucks County Hist. Soc.).

Miller, P., Jul 1911, ‘Sussex Iron Fire-backs’, The Connoisseur, 30. pp.192-195.

Morris, E., 1947, ‘Armorial Design in Fire-backs’, Apollo, pp.102-3.

Mullin, D., 1989, ‘Two Firebacks,’ The New Regard, Journal of the Forest of Dean Local History Society, 5, pp.47-50.

Mushet, D., 1840, Papers on Iron and Steel (London, John Weale), p.393.

Nesbit, A., 1886, ‘Notes and Queries 3: Sussex Iron Fire Back’, Sussex Archaeological Collections, 34, p.259.

Paine, C., Aug 2013, ‘Mystery of the Two Martyrs’, Sussex Past and Present, Newsletter of the Sussex Archaeological Society, 130, pp.6-7.

Pape, T., 1932, ‘Three Sussex Fire-backs’, The Connoisseur, 93, pp.385-7.

Parsons, J., Mar 1977, ‘Ancient Iron Firebacks’, Journal of Kent History, 4, pp.2-3.

Pearce, H., Autumn 2007, ‘Firebacks at Lullingstone Castle’, WIRG Newsletter, Newsletter of the Wealden Iron Research Group, 46, pp.5-6.

Rhead, G. W., 22 Jan 1916, ‘Andirons and Fire Backs’, The Queen, The Lady’s Newspaper, pp.156-7.

Riden, P. (ed.), 1985, George Sitwell’s Letterbook 1662-66 (Chesterfield, Derbyshire Record Society, 10).

Russell, A. J., 1978, ‘The fireback in Willey Farmhouse, Chaldon’, Local History Records, Journal of the Bourne Society, 17, pp.8-9.

Schubert, H. R., Aug 1950, ‘Old English Iron Firebacks’, Steel News, 2, 2, p.8.

Schubert, H. R., 1950, ‘Historical Note No. 21: A Rare Group of Wealden Firebacks’, Journal of the Iron & Steel Institute, 165, pp.39-40.

Schubert, H. R., Jan 1954, ‘ Historical Note No. 33: A Famous English Fireback of 1548’, Journal of the Iron & Steel Institute, 176, p.63.

Schubert, H. R., 1957a, History of the British Iron and Steel Industry (London, Routledge & Kegan Paul), pp.256-64 & App. VIII.

Schubert, H. R., 1957b, ‘ Historical Note No. 1 (Second Series): A Forgery in Iron’, Journal of the Iron & Steel Institute, 185, p.125.

Scott, D., Dec 1983, ‘Firebacks’, Antique Collector, 54, 12, pp.76-8.

Shuffrey, L. A., 1912, The English Fireplace (London, Batsford).

Sitwell, Sir G. R., 1888, ‘A picture of the iron trade (in the seventeenth century)’, Derbyshire Archaeological Journal, 10, pp.28-46.

Steer, F. W., Jan 1957, ‘Notes on an early fireback at Yale University’, The Yale University Library Gazette, 31, 3, pp.137-141.

Straker, E., 1931, Wealden Iron (London, Bell), pp.168-74.

Whistler, R. F., 1888, ‘Penhurst: being some account of its Iron Works, Manor House, Church, etc.,’ Sussex Archaeological Collections, 36, pp.1-18.

Wilkins, W., Dec 1788, ‘Sepulchral Monuments at Norwich’, Gentleman’s Magazine, p.1046.

Willatts, R. M., 1987, ‘Iron Graveslabs: a sideline of the early Iron Industry’, Sussex Archaeological Collections, 125, pp.109-10.

Woolrych, H., 1929, ‘Sussex Iron Firebacks’, in W. L. Hanchant (ed.), The Book of Antiques, Number Two’ (London, Arts and Crafts Publishing), pp.103-9.