Firebacks

Description: Arch-shaped, the arch consisting of eight, straight, ovolo-moulded sections; longer ovolo-moulded pieces form the lower sides of the fireback; in the centre a circular garter enclosing the Tudor arms of England; above, a crown; irregularly spaced each side of the shield, a crossed staple stamp (the left one over-pressed).

Notes: The crossed staple stamp suggests a connection with the Nevill family. The crown is formed from a separate stamp to the shield and garter. Other variants are dated 1589. Recorded at Penshurst Place in 1903; illustration from Dawson 1903.

Inscription: HONI SOIT qVI MAL I PANSE

Arms: Tudor royal

Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides); top centre, crowned Tudor royal shield (over-pressed) between a leopard passant guardant sinister (on the left) and a leopard passant (on the right); below, crowned shield bearing initials, KH, above a fleur-de-lys, between two further leopards, styles as above; below the lower shield, two 'imp' figures, the left one with both arms lowered, the right with its right arm raised; outside each lower leopard, a crowned rose (over-pressed); each top corner, a pair of ‘imp’ figures styles as before.

Notes: One of the 'Royal' series. Illustration from Dawson 1903. Formerly in the collection of Dr C. Prince, of Crowborough, Sussex. Further deterioration at the bottom of the casting has caused some loss of metal.

Inscription: KH

Arms: Tudor royal arms of England

Description: Rectangular; cavetto moulded edging; shield, garter, coronet, helm, crest, supporters and motto of Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham.

Notes: The arms are those of George Villiers (1592-1628), created Duke of Buckingham in 1623. Blazon: Quarterly 1, Villiers (modern) - argent, on a cross gules five scallops or; 2, Villiers (ancient) - sable, a fess between three cinquefoils argent; 3, Pakeman - gules, a chevron between three crosses botonnee fitchee argent; 4, Bellers - per pale gules and sable, a lion rampant argent crowned or; 5, Hoby - azure, a bend between six mullets argent; 6, Kirkby - argent, a cross between two annulets vert.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: HONI SOIT QVY MAL Y PENSE / FIDEI COTICULA CRUX [The cross is the touchstone of faith]

Arms: George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

Description: Arched; cavetto edging; crowned plain shield bearing a Tudor rose, with crowned lion and dragon supporters, with garter and motto; date split by crown.

Notes: The numerals are more typically 16th century in form than are found on copies produced from the late-19th century (see no. 178), suggesting this may be the original design; illustration from Dawson (1903).

Inscription: 15 71 / T K; [English royal, and garter, mottoes].

Description: Fragment; left side only; twisted rope edging to left, canted moulded batten above; left hand print with dividers to its right.

Notes: An unusual combination of edging. The dividers may refer to the occupation of the person for whom this fireback was cast. Formerly in the collection of Dr C. L. Prince of Crowborough, Sussex.

Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edge on top and sides; crowned Tudor royal shield between fleurs de lys arranged in a four-pointed star shape on left, in a three-pointed star shape on right, and three singly in a line below.

Notes: The crowned shield is seen on several firebacks, indicating that they were products of the same furnace.

Arms: Tudor royal arms of England

Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging on top and sides; date placed centrally near top.

Notes: A similar fireback with slightly different proportions has the same date using the same numerals. Formerly at the Anchor Hotel, Eastbourne, Sussex.

Inscription: 1679

Description: Rectangular with canted top corners; twisted rope edging all round except base: plain plate with two stamps of an iron firedog with twisted neck and shield bearing letters HN and crossed staples; firedogs have columnar capitals; fleur de lys stamp repeated six times, singly at each end, in star pattern in middle; stamps have twisted wreaths.

Notes: The initials HN probably refer to Henry Nevill, the crossed staples being a badge of the Nevill family. Henry Nevill occupied Mayfield furnace from about 1585 until 1599. One of two variants (see no. 742) with the same firedogs and fleurs-de-lys; other firedogs in a very similar style are known. Formerly at Holmbush Farm, Hellingly, Sussex.

Inscription: HN HN

Description: Cavetto-canted rectangle with arched top; astragal and cavetto edging (top and sides); pictorial; back-to-back figures of a bearded man and a woman in a poke bonnet, both dressed in tunics, their arms raised, respectively left and right; they are chained to a vertical pole; below, flames issue from vertically stacked logs, while smoke rises above them; the physical proportions of the figures are naïve, the man’s eyes being over-large, as are the hands of both.

Notes: The design is a free adaptation of an illustration from The Book of Martyrs by John Foxe (1563), a copy from a back originally noted at Brick Cottage, Burwash, Sussex, in 1871. This may be the design of fireback referred to in an enquiry printed in the St James's Chronicle, or British Evening Post, of 9 August 1788, which described it as 'having two Bishops burning at Stakes thereon' at a house in Warwickshire. At an auction sale in 2017 the same design of fireback was interpreted as the burning of Bishops Latimer and Ridley in 1555. Protestants were burnt to death at several Wealden locations as well as elsewhere in the south-east of England during the reign of Mary I, notably at Canterbury and Lewes. The subject of the fireback should be regarded as symbolic rather than commemorating any individual martyrs.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Description: Arched rectangular shape with small rhomboidal flanges in the corners of the arch; cavetto moulded edge on all sides; Stuart royal arms (1605-88, 1702-14) with lion and unicorn supporters, garter, crown and motto; raised inscription in a tapering label beneath crown.

Notes: An amended copy of a 17th/early 18th century original (see no. 633). The added inscription has been impressed with the personalised cast handle of a cooking vessel. A bronze skillet bearing the inscription 'STANDEN 1726' on its handle has been recorded elsewhere, but the impression on the fireback has been formed from a handle with the inscription inset in relief, whereas the 1726 inscription is inscribed. Also the lettering on the handle used to personalise the fireback, which includes the letter A surmounted with a horizontal line, is of an earlier style. Three members of the Standen family, Thomas, James and Elias, were founders at Beech or Robertsbridge furnaces, Sussex, 1728-9, and a John Standen was casting skillets at Heathfield Furnace in the early 1730s; each could have been the founder of the 1726 skillet, but the maker of the handle used in the fireback casting may have been earlier. Formerly at Marshalls Manor House, Maresfield, Sussex.

Inscription: IAMES STANDEN [+Garter and royal mottoes]

Arms: English Stuart royal