Firebacks

Description: Arched rectangular shape; cavetto moulding on all sides, with short gaps at each end of the base (possibly to accommodate firedogs); date in top corners; shield, supporters, coronet and motto of the Barony of Bergavenny: Gules, on a saltire argent, a rose of the field, barbed and seeded proper. The motto, ‘Ne vile velis’ (Wish nothing base) is a pun on the family name.

Notes: The arms are those of William Nevill, 16th Baron Bergavenny, of Kidbrooke Park, Forest Row, Sussex. The date of the fireback coincides with the completion of the mansion. Formerly part of the J. H. Every collection.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: 1736 / NE VILE VELIS

Arms: William Nevill, 16th Baron Bergavenny

Description: Rectangular with three sided arch; astragal edging; lion rampant crest beaneath a crown; the date split either side of the lion's head.

Notes: The evenness of the casting, the form of the crown and the lion all suggest that the date is spurious.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: 16 39

Description: Fragment: right part only; rectangular; twisted rope edging; lion passant with rose stamped twice above and below rear end, crowned rose below fore end; bottom right corner, two small walking figures, one with both arms down, the other with right arm raised.

Notes: One of a series with the same and other stamps.

Description: Central arched rectangular shape with rounded corners; ovolo moulding all round; oval Tudor royal shield with garter surrounding, topped with a royal crown; dragon and greyhound supporters; initials split by crown; all details below shield illegible; rectangular extension panels on each side, with twisted rope edging; quasi mirrored arrangement of twisted rope lengths to form (from the top) a cross, a vertical pointing arrow, and a diamond shape with a central vertical line.

Notes: The detail of the extension panel is sharper than the armorial, indicating that the panel was cast with a worn copy of the armorial. Illustrated in Weaver, 1914, p. 16.

Inscription: E R [+ Garter, Harvo and royal mottoes, all illegible]

Arms: Tudor royal (prob. Henry VIII)

Description: Carved wooden fireback pattern. Arched rectangular central panel with cavetto-canted shoulders and bead edging on a broad fillet; seated female figure in a chariot drawn by armadillos, symmetrical hanging drapery above right; same-shaped border with fillet edging at top, and suspended ribbons with floral bunches; at base, symmetrical palm leaves tied with ribbon; symmetrical serpents on top their tails intertwined.

Notes: The design is derived from a personification of America, on one of a set of playing cards entitled Jeu de la Géographie, designed by Stefano della Bella (1677); reputedly from Mayfield; presented to Brighton Museum by Henry Willetts. A casting from this pattern is no. 215.

Description: Arched rectangular central panel with helical ribbon edging; pictorial image of a partially clothed female figure, holding an upraised wreath in her left hand and a garland in her right hand, standing on a ground, with a gadrooned vase containing flowers and leaves to the right and, above, swagged drapery; arched rectangular fillet border with descending leaves and flowers suspended from a wreath, top centre, and a wreath in each top corner; on top, mirrored swirled fronds terminating in the heads of sea monsters; bottom, vestiges of SHR monogram otherwise all decoration obliterated by fire damage.

Notes: The figure is an allegorical representation of Agriculture, one of the Iconologia originally published by Cesare Ripa in 1613.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: SHR

Description: Arched rectangular shape with semi-circular protrusions at the sides; cavetto-moulded edging; a pheon (a downward-pointing arrow head barbed on the inner edge) within a wreath, an earl’s coronet above; the date on either side of the coronet; the initials on left and right sides; a fleur de lys in each bottom corner.

Notes: The detail of the wreath differs from that on the 1626 plate.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: 16 30 / R L