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1085
Description: Rectangular; rebated ovolo-moulded edging (top, left and half-right sides); top centre, date with unevenly positioned numerals.
Notes: The asymmetry of the side moulding is unusual.
Inscription: 1667
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- rebated ovolo moulding (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual numbers
- text
Manufactured: in 1667 possibly in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Faversham, Kent, England.
- Attached to series:
- Date only firebacks
- 1660s-90s Wealden series
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941
Description: Arched rectangular shape; scalloping within wide fillet edging; shield, knight's helm, crest and mantling; date split either side of armorial.
Notes: The arms are of Kyrle (vert, a chevron between three fleurs de lys or; crest: on a mount vert a hedgehog or) of Much Marcle, Herefordshire, quartered with Abrahall (azure three hedgehogs or; the fess appears to be erroneous) and Warnecombe (sable, on a fess dancetty argent between three bezants each charged with an escallop of the field as many lions rampant argent armed and langued gules). The second part of the date appears to have been altered by hand for the present casting as the style of lettering for the final two numerals is crude compared with the first two. Sir John Kyrle may have operated the iron furnace at Whitchurch, between Monmouth and Ross on Wye; the style of the carving is the same as on two other firebacks in the same county. It is apparent, from another example, that this fireback has either been broken and repaired, or deliberately reduced in height. Originally the mantling of the helm extended further down, ending in tassels on each side, making the height of the fireback approximately equal to its width. An early photograph of the Fawley fireback, taken by Alfred Watkins, the Herefordshire antiquarian, shows the division of the two parts more clearly (Herefordshire Record Office, AW339b). A copy of the original, un-reduced fireback has been noted with the date 1685 in the distinctive numerals seen on firebacks from Flaxley Furnace, Gloucestershire.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: 16 20
Arms: Kyrle quartering Abrahall and Warnecombe
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with round arch (shape)
- fillet with scalloping (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- individual numbers
- armorial
- text
Manufactured: in 1620 possibly at Whitchurch Furnace in the Herefordshire area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Fawley, Herefordshire, England.
- Attached to series:
- Personal armorial firebacks
- Herefordshire armorial series
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65
Description: Canted rectangle; twisted rope edging; plain plate
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with canted top corners (shape)
- rope (edging)
- simple stamps
Manufactured: in the 16th or 17th century possibly in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Fernhurst, West Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Base boards
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66
Description: Quasi-arched rectangular shape; twisted rope edging on top and sides of rectangle, and separately around arch; the rope ends extend beyond both ends of the top edge; vertical rope lengths, to full height, inside left and right edges; rope crosses in arch and in upper centre of rectangle.
Notes: Probably an early vernacular example of a design mimicking the ‘Palladian’ style. The crosses suggest Christian significance.
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with round arch (shape)
- rope (edging)
- simple stamps
- apotropaic
Manufactured: in the mid- to late-16th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Fernhurst, West Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Rope design firebacks
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292
Description: Rectangular; cavetto-moulded edging; top centre, date, above initials; two low-relief fleurs de lys down each side from top corners, and central fleur below and between the initials.
Notes: The initials may relate to William Boevey who was owner of Flaxley furnace from 1683-92. Another fireback with the same date and initials, and more fleurs, is also known.
Inscription: 1685 / W B
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- astragal with cavetto (edging)
- carved stamps
- heraldic
- text
Manufactured: in 1685 at Flaxley Furnace in the Forest of Dean area of England.
Current location: Flaxley Abbey, Flaxley, Gloucestershire, England.
Citation: Bick, D. E. [incorrectly printed as Bick, R.], Sept 1985, 'Firebacks', Period Homes, pp. 21-4.
- Attached to series:
- Boevey series
- Date & initials firebacks
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293
Description: Canted rectangle; inset twisted rope edging (top and sides); stamp formed of a statuette of an standing angel with left hand at the waist, and holding a sceptre in the right hand; date split either side of angel; initials in triad above angel; small face stamp repeated three times, one each side of angel, and one below.
Notes: The identity of those to whom the initials refer is not known; the use of the angel statuette is a rare inclusion of a religious motif on an English fireback. A variant of this fireback is at the Lygon Arms Hotel, Broadway, Worcestershire (no. 1027).
Inscription: IHI [triad] / 16 33
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with canted top corners (shape)
- rope (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- text
- humans
Manufactured: in 1633 in the Forest of Dean area of England.
Current location: Flaxley Abbey, Flaxley, Gloucestershire, England.
Citation: Bick, D. E. [incorrectly printed as Bick, R.], Sept 1985, 'Firebacks', Period Homes, pp. 21-4.
- Attached to series:
- Date & initials firebacks
- Figurine firebacks
- Angel series
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1199
Description: Rectangular, plain plate; top centre, cross probably formed of a repeated length of dowel helically wrapped with a leather strap; top right, a buckle impressed four times, the top two with their prongs inclined towards each other, and the bottom two with prongs vertical and parallel; left of the cross, a shield, indented at the top, charged with a bird upon a branch, to the left of which is a 'renaissance' style shield stamp with a 'PL' monogram above two [?]bougets.
Notes: The four buckles suggest a connection with the Pelham family whose badge it is. The protrusion low on the right edge of the fireback is probably the stub of a runner through which the cast iron was run into the mould from a temporary basin formed in the casting sand. The given width dimension assumes the crack across the fireback is closed.
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- none (edging)
- simple stamps
- carved stamps
- heraldic
- apotropaic
- objects
Manufactured: in the early- to mid-16th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Framfield, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Bird shield series
- Pelham family firebacks
- Metalware stamp firebacks
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67
Description: Pediment and frieze resting on fluted Tuscan pilasters; plain podium base; rectangular central panel with double fillet edge divided into four with central panel containing initials; date in tympanum; narrow rectangular panels on each side from base to cornice.
Notes: An early example of the use of classical architectural elements in an English fireback.
Inscription: 1568 ER
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with pediment (shape)
- none (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- individual letters
- extension panels
- architectural
- text
Manufactured: in 1568 in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Frant, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- 1568 Architectural series
- Date & initials firebacks
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68
Description: Canted rectangle; ovolo edging (top and sides); symmetrically arranged, initials separated by overpressed, fillet edged stamp bearing letters WF surmounted by a bent arm holding a battleaxe issuing from a chapeau; beneath are two shields bearing the arms of Fowle.
Notes: The shield and crest stamps relate to William Fowle (1568-1634) and are those used on iron grave slabs in Wadhurst and Frant churches and in Maidstone museum, as well as on other firebacks. The initials have not been identified. The fireback was formerly in Riverhall, Wadhurst, built by William Fowle. Another casting with the same set of initials, but in a slightly different arrangement, has been noted (no. 1077), and Christy (1908 p.386) reported on another with slots for two firedogs.
Inscription: EC DT / WF
Arms: William Fowle, of Frant and Wadhurst
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with canted top corners (shape)
- astragal (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- heraldic
- armorial
- text
Manufactured: in the early- to mid-17th century probably at Riverhall Furnace, Wadhurst in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Frant, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Fowle series
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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