Firebacks

Description: Arched rectangular shape; ovolo moulded edging; central oval shield of the arms of Penkhurst with fillet edge; date arranged in four corners.

Notes: The arms of Penkhurst: Argent, a fess ermines between six mullets sable. Probably the arms of Ferdinando Penkhurst, of Buxted Park, Sussex, who died in 1708. Formerly part of the Ade Collection (from Grove Hill, Hellingly, Sussex).

Inscription: 1707

Arms: Penkhurst, of Mayfield

Description: Quasi-arched rectangular shaped with cyma recta curved shoulders and 'pinnacles'; ovolo moulded edging with a deep base panel; shield, helm, crest and mantling of the Maynard family; plain motto scroll below.

Notes: The arms, which are those of an esquire, can be identified from the first four quarters on the memorial to Raffe Maynard, d.1613, in St Albans Cathedral, son of John Maynard (d.1556); quarterly, 1, Maynard: argent, a chevron azure between three sinister hands couped at the wrist gules; 2, Filleigh: gules, a fess vairy between six crosses formy or; 3, Hewis: gules fretty argent a canton of the second; 4, Lyons: argent a chevron sable between three lions dormant coward gules; the crest, a stag statant, is of Maynard. Contemporaneously, there were Maynards who operated ironworks in the Rotherfield area in Sussex, with whom this fireback may be connected. Significantly the motto scroll is blank, suggesting that the wooden pattern for the fireback had been originally intended as a decorative panel with the motto painted rather than carved in relief. The top right corner of the shield was evidently broken on the original pattern prior to being impressed into the casting sand to form the mould. A smaller casting with the same arms is also known (no. 667). Formerly part of the Ade Collection (from Grove Hill, Hellingly, Sussex).

Copies of this fireback are known.

Arms: Maynard family

Description: Canted rectangle; ovolo moulded edging (top and sides); eight shields of Ayloffe impaling Sulyard in three rows 3-2-3. Top right corner missing

Notes: 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. 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. There is a large number of variants using the same shields. Formerly part of the Ade Collection (from Grove Hill, Hellingly, Sussex).

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

Description: Armorial within complex ovolo moulded edging on all sides; two plank lines; shield, helm, crest and mantling of the Trevor family; the achievement is distinguished by the elaborately festooned mantling, the whole resting on a boat-shaped compartment.

Notes: The arms, which are of an esquire, are probably those of John Trevor (c1652-1686), the son of Sir John Trevor, one of Charles II’s Secretaries of State. By his marriage in 1679 to Elizabeth (c1656-1693), widow of William Morley, of Glynde, Sussex, the Glynde Place estate passed into the hands of the Trevors. The arms on this fireback have been variously, but incorrectly, attributed to Lord Dacre (a descendant of John Trevor), and Col. Marcus Trevor, 1st Viscount Dungannon (peers' arms have supporters). The distinctive shape is seen in similar form on several other armorial firebacks over the preceding century, suggesting a continuity of pattern making, if not the same pattern maker. Many copies of this fireback exist.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Arms: Trevor family, of Glynde

Description: Rectangular with low, 3-facetted arch; ovolo edging; shield of the Goldsmiths’ Company: quarterly Gules and Azure, in the first and fourth quarters a Leopard's Head affrontée Or, in the second and third quarters a Covered Cup between in chief two Buckles fesswise all of the last; behind the shield is a scrolled escutcheon.

Notes: An unusually thick fireback. The Goldsmiths’ Company were granted arms in 1571.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Arms: Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths

Description: Carved wooden fireback pattern. Cavetto-canted rectangle with arch; ovolo-moulded edging; shield, garter, helm, mantling, crest, motto and supporters of William Cecil, 1st Lord Burghley, KG (1520-98). Date below garter.

Notes: William Cecil was Queen Elizabeth I's first minister. Owing to Lord Burghley's motto being merely painted and not carved, as the Garter motto is, the primary purpose of this armorial was probably decorative, and its role as a pattern for firebacks secondary.

Inscription: HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE / COR VNVM [ET] VIA VNA / 15 75

Arms: William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley, KG

Description: Cavetto-canted rectangle with arch; ovolo-moulded edging; shield, garter, helm, mantling, crest and supporters of William Cecil, 1st Lord Burghley, KG (1520-98). Date below garter.

Notes: William Cecil was Queen Elizabeth I's first minister. The wooden pattern for this fireback (no. 926), itself a fine carved, wooden painted panel, is at Hatfield House, Hertfordshire.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE 15 75

Arms: William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley KG

Description: Rectangular with triangular top; ovolo-moulded edging; shield and crown of the French royal house of Valois, encircled by the collars of the orders of Saint Michel and Saint-Esprit

Notes: Cast no later than 1589 when the House of Valois was succeeded by the House of Bourbon.

Arms: France Royal

Description: Rectangular shape; ovolo-moulded edging (top and sides); date top centre.

Notes: The style of the numerals is identical to those seen on another fireback, indicating a common source.

Inscription: 1658

Description: Rectangular with pediment; ovolo moulded edging inside top of pediment and inside top and sides of rectangle; centre top, four-petal rose and crown with fleur de lys below; at either end, stamps made from two parts of a wreath (the middle section missing) enclosing a fleur de lys.

Notes: The wreaths from which the stamps have been disassembled can be seen complete on two other firebacks, and the rose and crown is a common stamp on a large series of early firebacks.

Inscription: ?I T