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39
Description: Quasi-arched rectangular shaped with cavetto canted top corners; fillet edging; two V-shaped arrangements of laths, one inverted and superimposed over the other, in centre of plate; date split on either side; initials in triangular arrangement above laths.
Notes: The shape of the fireback is very similar to firebacks at Knole, Sevenoaks, of similar date, and may be the product of the same furnace; the 'X' shapes may have apotropaic significance.
Inscription: 17 RSL 28
- Decoration tags:
- quasi-arched rectangular (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- simple stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- apotropaic
- text
- objects
Manufactured: in 1728 in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Cranbrook Museum, Cranbrook, Kent, England.
- Attached to series:
- Date & initials firebacks
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69
Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides); twisted rope lengths parallel to top and both sides and crossing at corners, with shorter rope lengths across inside angles; shorter rope lengths arranged in three crosses across middle of plate, the middle one higher than the other two.
Notes: A particularly large and elaborate arrangement of rope lengths. The crosses suggest Christian significance.
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- rope (edging)
- simple stamps
- apotropaic
- objects
Manufactured: in the 16th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Freshfield, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Rope design firebacks
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78
Description: Sub-rectangular; twisted rope edging; lengths of twisted rope arranged to form two 'V' shapes and an 'I' overlapping to forma possible monogram.
Notes: The 'monogram' comprises different length pieces of rope and may have an apotropaic significance, the double 'V' referring to the Virgin Mary.
- Decoration tags:
- sub-rectangular (shape)
- rope (edging)
- simple stamps
- apotropaic
- objects
Manufactured: in the 16th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Guildford Museum, Guildford, Surrey, England.
Museum number: G.488 (part of the Guildford Museum museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Rope design firebacks
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85
Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging; twisted rope arranged to form inscription across upper half of plate.
Notes: The double 'v' may have an apotropaic significance, invoking the Virgin Mary.
Inscription: +W+
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- rope (edging)
- simple stamps
- apotropaic
- objects
Manufactured: in the mid to late 16th century possibly in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Hadlow Down, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Rope design firebacks
-
112
Description: Rectangular with twisted rope edging; straight lengths of rope re-stamped to make longer lengths in the shape of a saltire on each side and a 'V' in the middle.
Notes: The arrangement of the rope lengths may have an apotropaic significance, a double 'v' alluding to the Virgin Mary. Formerly part of the Ade Collection (from Grove Hill, Hellingly, Sussex).
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- rope (edging)
- simple stamps
- apotropaic
- objects
Manufactured: in the mid to late 16th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Hastings Museum and Art Gallery, John's Place, Bohemia Road, Hastings, East Sussex, England.
Museum number: HASMG: 1952.51.20 (part of the Hastings Museum museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Rope design firebacks
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114
Description: Quasi-rectangular shape with low-curved convex top; edging (top and sides)formed of lengths of dowel grooved laterally and helically; upper centre, cross formed of the same dowel; at each side, tandem arrangement of longer dowel, similarly grooved.
Notes: The base board appears to be the same size and shape as that of a fireback at Plaxtol, Kent (no. 587), which also has the same edging; and the grooved dowels are also on a fireback with dagger stamps at Lewes; the cross will have been intended to have apotropaic significance. Formerly part of the Ade Collection (from Grove Hill, Hellingly, Sussex).
- Decoration tags:
- quasi-rectangular (shape)
- grooved dowel (edging)
- simple stamps
- apotropaic
- objects
Manufactured: in the mid to late 16th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Hastings Museum and Art Gallery, John's Place, Bohemia Road, Hastings, East Sussex, England.
Museum number: HASMG: 1952.51.21 (part of the Hastings Museum museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Grooved dowel series
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166
Description: Rectangular; plain plate with three stamps of an iron firedog with a twisted design on the neck, a primitive face on the terminal and a shield bearing initials RW.
Notes: The letters RW are said to relate to Richard Woodman, ironmaster and Protestant martyr, who resided at Cralle Place, and who operated Cralle furnace. A near-identical firedog was discovered at Bridge Cottage, Uckfield, Sussex.
Inscription: RW
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- none (edging)
- simple stamps
- objects
Manufactured: in the mid 16th century probably at Cralle Furnace, Warbleton in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Hastings Museum and Art Gallery, John's Place, Bohemia Road, Hastings, East Sussex, England.
Museum number: HASMG: 1909.94 (part of the Hastings Museum museum group)
Citation: Butterfield, W. R., 1916, 'Old Wealden Firebacks', The Connoisseur, 46, pp. 197-209.
- Attached to series:
- Firedog stamp firebacks
- Metalware stamp firebacks
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169
Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides); inscription made of short lengths of twisted rope, irregularly spaced across upper middle, central device formed of a Tudor 'A' with overstamped 'V'.
Notes: It is not clear if the central device is a monogram, or if it might have apotropaic significance.
Inscription: T A M T
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- rope (edging)
- simple stamps
- apotropaic
- text
- objects
Manufactured: in the early to mid 16th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Hastings Museum and Art Gallery, John's Place, Bohemia Road, Hastings, East Sussex, England.
Museum number: HASMG: 1911.60.7 (part of the Hastings Museum museum group)
Citation: Page, S. & Wallace, M. (eds.), 2018, Spellbound (Oxford, Ashmolean Museum), p. 72.
- Attached to series:
- Rope design firebacks
- Initials only firebacks
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174
Description: Rectangular; plain plate with central crossed-square rope pattern with crosses at the corner and top; on each side a rectangular stamp with swirled tendril, serpent and demi-cup decoration.
Notes: The crossed square was an alchemistic symbol for iron vitriol (i.e. ferrous sulphate or copperas), but the crosses at the extremities may indicate other symbolism or none; similar patterns are found on other firebacks of a group that may have been associated with Pounsley furnace, Sussex. The repeated panel at the top appears to have been formed using a mould for a section of a plasterwork frieze, resulting in an intaglio impression (approx 395 x 142mm or 15½ x 5½ in.) as opposed to the normal bas-relief; this is very unusual on a fireback. The style of the mould dates from the Elizabethan or Jacobean period. The stubs on the bottom edge are likely to have been the remains of runners where the molten iron entered the mould. Recovered from a property in Burwash, Sussex, in 1910.
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- none (edging)
- simple stamps
- apotropaic
- animals
- objects
Manufactured: in the late 16th to early 17th century possibly at Pounsley Furnace, Framfield in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Hastings Museum and Art Gallery, John's Place, Bohemia Road, Hastings, East Sussex, England.
Museum number: HASMG: 1910.26.1 (part of the Hastings Museum museum group)
Citation: Baines, J. M., 1958, Wealden Firebacks (Hastings Museum).
- Attached to series:
- Pounsley series
- Miscellaneous stamp firebacks
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373
Description: Rectangular, edged with twisted leather lengths on top and sides; a ballock dagger with hollow-ground cruciform blade, point down, impressed vertically three times and evenly spaced across the width of the back; between each, two short lengths of twisted leather, arranged in a cross; at either end, the same short lengths of dowel arranged in an inverted ‘V’.
Notes: The dagger (length approx. 38cm) dates from c1575-1625. The probable use of twisted leather is seen occasionally on other firebacks. The grouping of three daggers may also have apotropaic significance in relation to the Trinity.
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- twisted leather (edging)
- simple stamps
- planklines
- apotropaic
- objects
Manufactured: in the late 16th to early 17th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Anne of Cleves House, Southover High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, England.
Museum number: 1944.24.035 (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Knife & Dagger stamp firebacks