Firebacks

Description: Quasi arched rectangular shape with detached pediment above symmetrical ‘horns’ within arcs; cavetto-moulded edging; shield with helm, crest and mantling; initials split by crest.

Notes: Blazon: quarterly 1st lion rampant (poss. Lewis, descendant of Gwaethfoed); 2nd a chevron between three fleurs de lys (descendant of Einon ap Collwyn); 3rd three chevronels (descendant of Iestyn ap Gwrgan); 4th as 2nd (but possibly different tinctures); crest: a lion rampant; the initials suggest the arms may be of a member of a cadet branch of the Lewis family.

Inscription: T L

Arms: Possibly a member of the Lewis family

Description: Arched rectangular shape; cavetto moulded edging; garter enclosing Stuart royal arms, with supporters, crown and motto; date split either side of garter buckle; rectangular extension panel at bottom.

Notes: An altered casting from a 1641 original (no. 445), the last part of the date having disproportionate numerals; often copied. From the detail of the relief, probably an early casting.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: C R / HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE / 16 64 / DIEV ET MON DROIT

Arms: English Stuart royal

Description: Arched shape; cavetto-moulded edge; Tudor royal shield, crown, garter (with inscription anti-clockwise) and supporters (dragon and greyhound); crowned rose on left, and crowned portcullis on right side of crown; the supporters stand on a horizontal fillet, to the bottom right of which is the end of an illegible inscription.

Notes: There are several firebacks with the Tudor royal arms that were probably produced in the Spanish Netherlands, perhaps illustrating the association between England and Spain through the marriage of Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon. The firebacks differ in several small details, such as the form and rotation of the Garter motto, the style of the crown, the positioning of the supporters in relation to the Garter, and the form and size of the crowned rose and portcullis.

Inscription: HONI SOIT QVI MAL I PENSE / [illeg.]

Arms: Tudor royal

Description: Rectangular; cavetto edging all round; seated lion on right, its tail rising above its back and its head turned to face the viewer; a seated sheep on the left.

Notes: Intended to represent the saying, ‘The lion shall lie down with the lamb’, a popular misquotation of Isaiah 11: 6. Some variants are dated 1679 (see no. 481).

Copies of this fireback are known.

Description: Fragment (top part only); arched; cavetto-moulded edging; shield, helm, crown and supporters royal house of Scotland.

Notes: The arms probably pre-date the union of the kingdoms of Scotland and England in 1603. The arched shape and style of execution suggest a possible continental origin for the design.

Inscription: IN DEFENS

Arms: Scotland royal pre 1603

Description: Flattened arched rectangular shape; cavetto moulded edge all round; Stuart royal arms with lion and unicorn supporters, crown, garter and motto; CR initials placed separately outside supporters; date split either side of crown.

Notes: A commonly copied variant has the intials, IT, at the top; one vertical plank-line on right side.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: 1635 / C R / HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE / DIEV ET MON DROIT

Arms: English Stuart royal - Charles I

Description: Arched rectangular shape; cavetto edging; crowned rose with symmetrical leaves; date split across top; initials split across bottom.

Notes: The hooked ‘1’ and ‘IM’ suggests a common pattern-maker with other firebacks bearing those features.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: 16 50 / I M

Description: Rectangular, cavetto moulded edging; Stuart royal shield, garter, supporters and crown.

Notes: One clear vertical plank line indicate that the pattern for this fireback was formed of a series of boards probably secured by horizontal battens on the rear.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE

Arms: English Stuart royal

Description: Flattened arched rectangular shape; cavetto moulded edge all round; armorial; arms of Browne family of Brenchley, Kent: Gules, a griffin passant or, a chief of the second; Crest: a vulture proper, wings endorsed, displuming a mallard’s wings.

Notes: John Browne, gunfounder, was granted arms in 1626. His principal furnace was in Brenchley parish, Kent. The royal gunfounder 1615-51, he petitioned the Crown for a monopoly of casting firebacks in 1633.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Arms: Browne of Brenchley (John Browne)

Description: Arched rectangular central panel; bead-on-fillet edging; wickerwork Garden of Holland (Hollandse Tuin) within which is seated a berobed female figure holding a cap of freedom on the end of a long pole; before her is the crowned heraldic lion of the States General of the Netherlands, clutching a sheaf of arrows in its left front paw; above are the words, Pro Patria; arched rectangular boreder with fillet edging, and foliage draped from the top; on top, a pomegranate to which ascends a serpent on each side, with a further pomegranate on each shoulder of the plate.

Notes: An overtly patriotic theme with symbols of Dutch nationhood.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: PRO PATRIA