-
786
Description: Rectangular; edging on top and sides formed from four impressions of a length of wooden moulding approx. 600mm long, rebated at the right end, and overlapped starting on the right. Within are 14 impressions of a fleur de lys, arranged in three horizontal rows (5-4-5), carefully spaced with the middle stamp on the bottom row slightly out of line with the others. The edging does not reach the bottom of the plate, which is left plain.
Notes: Here is the distinctive use of wooden moulding salvaged from another use, possibly furniture, the moulded end of the sections suggesting that it might have come from a corner; the style of fleur de lys is one of three encountered on firebacks in this series.
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- complex, furniture-derived (edging)
- simple stamps
- carved stamps
- heraldic
Manufactured: in the mid- to late-16th century possibly at Pounsley Furnace, Framfield in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Quebec House, Westerham, Kent, England.
Museum number: 528987.1 (part of the National Trust museum group)
- Attached to series:
- Pounsley series
-
925
Description: Rectangular panel with moulded edging (top and sides); two joined guilloche arches with bracket ends and floral designs in the spandrels; above, pediment with dentil edging, between teardrop pinnacles; date in bottom centre of pediment; possible initials below and between arches.
Notes: The pattern has been formed from, or in imitation of, the upper part of the back of a joined 'wainscot' chair with an inserted date and possible inserted initials
Inscription: 1661 / [?W] [?H]
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with triangular arch (shape)
- complex, furniture-derived (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- individual numbers
- architectural
- text
Manufactured: in 1661 in England.
Current location: in private hands, Wigmore, Herefordshire, England.
- Attached to series:
- Chair pattern firebacks
- Furniture stamp firebacks
-
798
Description: Arched rectangular shape with canted top corners; astragal-and-fillet and cavetto moulded strip on each side, angled at top; raised central square panel bearing main inscription in sans-serif characters justified to left (2s formed like Zs); irregular arrangement of small ‘serrated’ square stamps repeated 29 times in two vertical groups of 12 on each side of the inscription panel (6 on the outside, side to side, 6 on the inside, roughly corner to corner); 2 squares, side to side, below each side of the arch, above the inscription panel; 1 square at top of arch between non-matching initials.
Notes: The inscription is the same as on the iron plate above the grave of Richard Gray in Withyham church; another fireback, said to have the same inscription, was formerly at Wolvesey Palace, Winchester, and later in Winchester Museum, but is now missing; the moulding strips are likely to have been derived from furniture. Frances Ashbie and Richard Graye's godson, Richard, the son of William Ashbie, were among the beneficiaries of Richard Graye's will and the initials, IA, on the fireback may relate to another member of that family. The fireback was noted at Sompting, near Lancing, West Sussex, in the 1820s.
Inscription: I A / ANNO·DOMINI·1582 / THE·27·DAY·OF·· / FEBRVARYE·DYED· / RICHARDE·GRAYE / PARSON·OF· · / WYTHIHAM·
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular with round arch (shape)
- complex, furniture-derived (edging)
- carved stamps
- carved pattern panels
- individual letters
- text
Manufactured: in 1582 probably at Hamsell Furnace, Rotherfield in the Weald area of England.
Current location: St Michael's church, Withyham, East Sussex, England.
Citation: Arnold, F., 1871, 'Withyham Monumental Slab', Sussex Archaeological Collections, 23, pp. 320-1.
- Attached to series:
- Richard Graye inscription series
- Epitaph firebacks
-
1105
Description: Rectangular shape; cyma recta moulded edging (top and sides); top centre, rose and crown; top right, date; top left, initials, DI (with D reversed); small rose stamp between initials and rose/crown; concentric, rope-patterned roundel below date and below initials, with fleur-de-lys separating each from the rose/crown; below, uneven alternating line of three fleurs and two small rose stamps.
Notes: One of a series of firebacks cast between the 1670s and 1690s bearing small, simple stamps, initials and dates; the style of rose and crown is similar to that used in gun founding in the Tudor period, suggesting that the furnace that was the source of this fireback may have been used for that purpose. Alleged to have been formally at Rowfant House, Worth, Sussex.
Inscription: D [reversed] I 1685
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- complex, furniture-derived (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- heraldic
- royal
- text
- objects
Manufactured: in 1685 in the Weald area of England.
Current location: not known.
- Attached to series:
- 1660s-90s Wealden series
- Date & initials firebacks