Firebacks

Description: Central panel of arched rectangular shape with cavetto canted corners and bead edging; figure seated astride a triumph of weaponry (cannon, spears, drums), holding a laurel wreath in his right hand, surrounded by martial objects (flags, cannon, drums etc.), symmetrical hanging drapery above; same-shaped border with fillet edging and suspended ribbons with floral bunches

Notes: Possibly a depiction of an allegory of Victory. Other firebacks have the same distinctively shaped central panel and border shape, suggesting the same pattern maker. A reduced variant of a more elaborate fireback (no. 456) but missing mirrored serpents on top and probable reed decoration at the base.

Description: Canted rectangle; twisted rope edging (top and sides); bearded face stamp repeated in top corners and below inscription; date along top edge; initials split by date and slightly below.

Notes: The distinctive style of the ‘4’ in the date and the bearded mask stamp have also been noted on a fireback at Callow Farm, Dymock, Gloucestershire, associated with the operator of the Newent furnace.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: E 1641 M

Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead edging on a broad fillet; standing on a ground with a peacock behind her, a classically-dressed figure of a female, wearing a crown and holding a sceptre in her right hand, her left hand across her chest; above her, swagged drapery; arched rectangular border with fillet edging; central scallop shell at the top with a descending arrangement of swirled and interlinked lines; at bottom centre, a cartouche bearing the letter ‘N’; on top, two mirrored serpents.

Notes: The figure is that of Hera/Juno. The pattern maker identified as ‘N’ is likely to have been working in collaboration with pattern makers whose fireback designs are identified with the initials, SHR and EB, and with the maker responsible for patterns made in 1724, some of which bore inscriptions in Welsh.

Inscription: N

Description: Arched rectangular shape; stylised twisted rope edging; centred, 'C & G' above 'S' above '1929', all between four stylised rope saltires.

Notes: A twentieth century fireback designed and executed in a traditional form.

Inscription: C & G / S / 1929

Description: Arched rectangular shape; twisted rope edging (top and sides); in arch, marquess's coronet above a monogram with date split either side.

Notes: The elaborate monogram has not been deciphered, but the fireback does not appear to be related to the Talbot family who owned Lacock throughout the 17th century.

Inscription: 16 [undeciphered monogram] 68

Description: Rectangular shape with a flattened arch; astragal edging; top centre, stamp depicting a man and a woman in medieval dress, with inscribed date split to each side; in each corner and angled towards the corner, a triangular stamp formed of two mirrored sea serpents, their tails looped through a band, which also supports a flower rising from the serpents mouths; bottom centre, the weak impression of gadrooned vase fireback.

Notes: A bespoke fireback incorporating pseudo-antique elements, a spurious date inscribed by hand with a, probably deliberate, error in the orientation of the number 9. The 'medieval' couple and the corner stamps have yet to be identified. The impressed fireback is of the mid-17th century of the type illustrated as no. 1189.

Inscription: 16 59 [9 reversed]

Description: Rectangular; double fillet moulded edging; top centre, shield-shaped block with a rectangle containing the crest of the Fowles - an Arm in armour holding a Battle axe issuant from a Ducal Coronet, above the initials, WF; top left and right, two shields of the arms of the Fowle family - (Gules) a lion passant guardant between three roses (Or); across the lower half of the fireback are three solid triangular prisms of iron.

Notes: The stamps relate to William Fowle (1568-1634), ironmaster of Riverhall furnace. The stamps also appear on grave slabs in Wadhurst and Frant churches and on an unprovenanced graveslab in Maidstone Museum. The iron prisms were included, perhaps, to retain heat and to prevent the fireback from cracking.

Inscription: WF

Arms: William Fowle, of Frant and Wadhurst

Description: Arched rectangular shape; ovolo edging; Stuart royal arms of England (quarterly, 1st and 4th, France and England, 2nd Scotland and 3rd Ireland) with garter, crown, motto and supporters; initials either side of lion’s head; date either side of unicorn’s head.

Notes: The slightly awkward positioning of the date suggests it was added later.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: I R [Iacobus Rex] 16 04 / DEV ET MON DROIT

Arms: English Stuart royal - James I

Description: Quasi-rectangular; twisted rope edging on top and sides; cavetto-moulded-edged rectangle top centre, enclosing date between initials; 17 shields of Ayloffe impaling Sulyard in three rows (5-6-6); Ayloffe: sable, a lion rampant Or, collared gules, between three crosses formy of the second; Sulyard: argent, a chevron gules between three pheons inverted sable.

Notes: William Ayloffe (c1535-1584) of Hornchurch, Essex, Justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench, married (c1560) Jane, dau. of Sir Eustace Sulyard, of Runwell, Essex. The initials 'CT' are likely to be those of Charles Tyler, a founder whose working life and that of his family have strong parallels with the occurrence of these firebacks.

Inscription: C.1.6 2.0.T

Arms: Ayloffe impaling Sulyard (William Ayloffe of Bretons, Hornchurch)

Description: Rectangle; no edging; date just above centre; initials above date.

Notes: The disparity between the quality of the stamping of the date and initials may be because the date has been stamped from a single block. There are stylistic similarities with the memorial plate to John and Ann Luck, dated 1771, in Wadhurst church porch, Sussex.

Inscription: I H / 1776