Firebacks

Manufactured at Pounsley Furnace, Framfield

54 results

  1. 41

    cuckfield_park 02.jpg
    765 x 675 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shape; rope edging (top and sides); Tudor royal shield, garter, crown and supporters (crowned lion and dragon); date above crown; empty motto compartment with initials below.

    Notes: Identical arms can be seen on fireback formerly at Baynards Park, Cranleigh, and in private hands at Maresfield, but without the motto compartment; minor variations in the position of individual elements indicate that the garter and shield, crown, and each supporter were separately stamped; the initials are likely to be those of Henry Bowyer, ironmaster (d.1588), the fireback perhaps being made in his memory.

    Inscription: 1588 HB

    Arms: Tudor royal (Elizabeth I)

    Manufactured: in 1588 possibly at Pounsley Furnace, Framfield in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: in private hands, Cuckfield, West Sussex, England.

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2010, British Cast-Iron Firebacks of the 16th to Mid-18th Centuries (Crawley, Hodgers Books).

  2. 57

    east_grinstead_church_3.jpg
    1180 x 730 mm

    Description: Rectangular; rope edging on top and sides; central inscription panel; repeated trailing vine decoration from impressed wooden strips — one horizontal line at top, four vertical strips each side of panel, eleven vertical strips below.

    Notes: This fireback came to East Grinstead church from Hurst-an-Clays, a former farmhouse on the edge of the town, in 1933. The inscription is from the same carved pattern used on the graveslab of Anne Forster in Crowhurst church, Surrey; several firebacks have been cast using this panel, each different in other details from the rest. Some of the firebacks using this inscription date from after 1591.

    Inscription: HER : LIETH : ANE : FORST/ R : DAVGHTER : AND : / HEYR : TO : THOMAS : / GAYNSFORD : ESQVIER / DECEASED : XVIII : OF: / IANVARI : 1591 : LEAVYNG / BEHIND : HER II : SONES : / AND : V : DAVGHTERS

    Manufactured: in the late 16th century possibly at Pounsley Furnace, Framfield in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: St Swithun's Church, High Street, East Grinstead, West Sussex, England.

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2018, 'The Anne Forster Firebacks', Surrey Archaeological Collections, 101, 99-114.

    Citation: Holgate, M. S., 1918, 'The Anne Forster Grave Slab', Sussex Archaeological Collections, 59, pp. 130-1.

  3. 298

    gardner_02.jpg
    ~700 x ~600 mm

    Description: Pentagonal with a small triangular arch, centre top; twisted rope edging (top and sides); in arch, cross formed of small fleurs-de-lys; row of small fleurs inside rope edging, lower half of sides plain; length of twisted rope each side, parallel to edges, with small fleur terminal at top end; upper centre, rope escarbuncle with fleur terminals between ‘R’ and ‘C’ (both of rope with fleur terminals, ‘R’ reversed); ‘A’ below escarbuncle (also rope with fleur terminals, with cross bar above); fleur cross below ‘R’.

    Notes: Twisted rope with fleur terminals is seen on several firebacks with stamps otherwise associated; formerly at Warnham Court, Sussex; illustrated in Gardner 1898, p. 146. The escarbuncle is the principal charge on the arms of the Duchy of Cleves, possibly associating this fireback with the brief marriage of Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves.

    Inscription: R A C [inverted triad]

    Manufactured: in the mid to late 16th century possibly at Pounsley Furnace, Framfield in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: not known.

    Citation: Gardner, J. S., 1898, 'Iron Casting in the Weald', Archaeologia, 56, 1, pp. 133-164.

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2010, British Cast-Iron Firebacks of the 16th to Mid-18th Centuries (Crawley, Hodgers Books).

  4. 996

    goudhurst,_chequer tree farmhouse.jpg
    905 x 695 mm

    Description: Quasi-rectangular shape (42.5mm wider at the bottom); border formed of strips carved with an undulating vine (top and sides); successive rows of repeated stamps: (from top) 18 'hops' or 'grape bunches' in line, horizontal fillet with line of beads below, line of vine strips, 5 birds (probably swans, a Lancastrian badge) in line with 'hops'/'grape bunches' at top and bottom of gaps, line of vine strips, line of beads with horizontal fillet below, 17 'hops'/'grape bunches' in line, and line of vine strips (partially obscured by what appears to be the repeated pressing of finger tips into the casting sand to form an extension at the base).

    Notes: One of a series of firebacks incorporating the use of the undulating vine strip, and the 'swan' stamp. This may be a recasting produced by the firm of Charles Wayte & Cheverton, formerly of Edenbridge, Kent, as a similar back was illustrated in their catalogue.

    Manufactured: in the late 16th century possibly at Pounsley Furnace, Framfield in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: in private hands, Goudhurst, Kent, England.

  5. 72

    grayswood,_clammer hill house.jpg
    1118 x 740 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shape with stepped angles; twisted rope edging (top and sides); small flower bud stamp repeated inside edging, with ‘pineapple’ stamp repeated inside; lower part comprises three concentric half-rectangles formed from undulating vine strips and repeated ‘pineapple’ stamp; above, three vertical vine strips with parallel ‘pineapple’ stamps, human face stamps above them; two diagonal vine strips below the vertical strips.

    Notes: A most remarkable fireback, incorporating stamps seen on other firebacks.

    Manufactured: in the late 16th century possibly at Pounsley Furnace, Framfield in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: in private hands, Grayswood, Surrey, England.

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2010, British Cast-Iron Firebacks of the 16th to Mid-18th Centuries (Crawley, Hodgers Books).

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2012, 'Pre-Restoration Iron Firebacks', Journal of the Antique Metalware Society, 20, pp. 2-15.

  6. 75

    groombridge,_prowdes 01.jpg
    ~780 x 520 mm

    Description: Rectangular; ovolo moulded edging (top and sides); 14 impressions of a fleur de lys, arranged in three horizontal rows (5-4-5), carefully spaced.

    Notes: The same fleur de lys stamp has been noted on several firebacks, indicating a common source.

    Manufactured: in the mid to late 16th century possibly at Pounsley Furnace, Framfield in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: in private hands, Groombridge, East Sussex, England.

  7. 90

    hampton_court 04.jpg
    740 x 520 mm

    Description: Rectangular; ovolo moulded edging (top and sides); eight impressions of a fleur de lys, arranged in three horizontal rows (3-2-3), carefully spaced.

    Notes: The same fleur de lys stamp has been noted on several firebacks, indicating a common source.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Manufactured: in the mid to late 16th century possibly at Pounsley Furnace, Framfield in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Hampton Court, Richmond, Greater London, England.

    (part of the Royal Collection museum group)

  8. 96

    handcross,_nymans 01.jpg
    1515 x 735 mm

    Description: Rectangular; undulating vine tendril edging (top and upper sides); eight circular, fleur-de-lys butter mould stamps alternating (except at left end) with six rectangular, fleur-de-lys and leaf shortbread or gingerbread stamps, in a line along the top; six bird stamps (wings displayed and inverted) alternating with five pairs of butter mould stamps, as above; continuous line of horizontal vine strips; six descending vine strips, interspaced unevenly with eight butter mould stamps, in pairs except for rightmost two.

    Notes: The bird (probably a swan, a Lancastrian badge) and vine strip stamps are encountered on several firebacks. In 1868 this fireback was recorded at Tickeridge, West Hoathly, Sussex.

    Manufactured: in the mid to late 16th century possibly at Pounsley Furnace, Framfield in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Nymans, Staplefield Road, Handcross, Slaugham, West Sussex, England.

    Museum number: 1206011 (part of the National Trust museum group)

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2010, British Cast-Iron Firebacks of the 16th to Mid-18th Centuries (Crawley, Hodgers Books).

    Citation: Stenning, J. C., 1868, 'Notes on East-Grinstead', Sussex Archaeological Collections, 20, pp. 151-2.

  9. 311

    handcross,_nymans 06b.jpg
    1260 x 868 mm

    Description: Quasi-rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides); fleur-de-lys stamp repeated 25 times in four rows (6-6-6-7), interspersed with a length of twisted rope repeatedly stamped between each row and sometimes between fleurs; three rope crosses near top corners.

    Notes: The fleurs are identical to others from the ‘Pounsley’ series.

    Manufactured: in the mid to late 16th century possibly at Pounsley Furnace, Framfield in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Nymans, Staplefield Road, Handcross, Slaugham, West Sussex, England.

    (part of the National Trust museum group)

  10. 107

    haslemere_museum 06.jpg
    945 x 520 mm

    Description: Rectangle with two similar rectangular extensions at top extremities; rope edging (top and sides); on top extensions, two stamps of a dragon and lion supporting a rose and crown, each with a crowned shield bearing a fleur de lys below; central date with rose and crown below; initials TM vertically placed inside middle left edge, initial I middle right; initials I and A, respectively, at lower left and right.

    Notes: The initials, TM and I, may relate to a married couple, the first two letters to their first names and the last to their surname; the initials IA are likely to be of the founder as they appear in the same arrangement on other firebacks. The unusual shape would probably have been determined by the structure of the hearth for which it was made; the rose and crown and supporters stamp can also be seen on a large fireback, dated 1593, formerly at Baynard's Park, Surrey; the date and IA stamps can be seen, in identical form, on a fireback in the Victoria & Albert Museum, and on two other firebacks, suggesting a common source for all of these firebacks.

    Inscription: TM 1582 I / I A

    Manufactured: in 1582 possibly at Pounsley Furnace, Framfield in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Haslemere Educational Museum, Haslemere, Surrey, England.

    Museum number: 8582 (part of the Haslemere Educational Museum museum group)

    Citation: Anon., 1929, 'An interesting fireback', Sussex Notes and Queries, 2, 8 , p. 242.

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2010, British Cast-Iron Firebacks of the 16th to Mid-18th Centuries (Crawley, Hodgers Books).