Firebacks

Description: Rectangular, with low curved top and stepped concave corners; suspended floral-chain border on top and sides; alternate small and large rings along the bottom; plain panel at base. Arms of Webster, baronet, of Battle: Azure, on a bend argent, cotised Or, between two demi-lions ermine, a rose gules, barbed and seeded proper, between two boars’ heads couped sable.

Notes: Sir Thomas Webster was created baronet in 1703; he was succeeded by his son, Whistler, in 1750. A pair of matching, cast-iron side plates form a set with this fireback.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Arms: Webster of Battle

Description: Arched rectangular shape; rebated fillet edging; shield, helm, crest and mantling of the family of Barttelot of Stopham, Sussex.

Notes: The shield is divided into eight quarters (from left) top: Barttelot, Stopham, Lewknor, Doyley; bottom: Tregoz, Camoys, Walton and Sykeston; arms granted in this form in 1616. Walter Bartlett/Barttelot ran Pallingham furnace in the early 17th century, suggesting a possible place of manufacture.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Arms: Barttelot of Stopham

Description: Rectangular with an arched rectangular style arch linked by symmetrical concave curves; ovolo moulding (top and sides); shield, helmet, crest and mantling of the family of Baker, of Mayfield, quartered with Farnden, of Sedlescombe: Quarterly, 1st and 4th, Argent, a tower between three keys erect sable (Baker); 2nd and 3rd, Purpure, a chevron vairy Or and gules, between three leopards’ faces Or (Farnden); crest (Baker): on a tower sable an arm embowed in mail holding in the hand a flint-stone proper. Date split by mantling.

Notes: A carved armorial on a plain, edged base board. John Baker (1644-1723) married Ruth, daughter and co-heiress of Peter Farnden, in 1663; she died in 1691. During their marriage the Farnden arms, would have been borne as an escutcheon of pretence in the centre of the arms of Baker, and not quartered with those of her husband until after her death. The date, 1690, is therefore spurious and would have been added to a later casting of what on other examples is an undated armorial fireback. The same base board has been also used for another achievement of arms dated to the 1740s.

Inscription: 16 90

Arms: Baker of Mayfield quartering Farnden of Sedlescombe

Description: Arched shape; double-fillet edged arched border, with six evenly-spaced roses, resting on pilasters; shield, supporters, garter and coronet of the Earl of Exeter; plain rectangular bottom panel.

Notes: The arms are of the earldom of Exeter, which was created in 1605 for Thomas Cecil, 2nd Lord Burghley (1542-1623).

Inscription: HONY SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE [illegible]

Arms: Cecil, Earls of Exeter

Description: Arched shape; cavetto-moulded edging to the arch; quartered shield with an, off-centre, knight's helm, wreath and mantling, and crest of a cubit arm vested, or habited, cuffed and erased holding an arrow in bend sinister; the shield has, in the 1st quarter three lions rampant, in the 2nd a bend cotised, in the 3rd possibly a lion rampant, and in the 4th possibly a dragon rampant within a bordure indented; below the shield, a partially indistinct motto.

Notes: From the style of the mantling the pattern carver may have also been responsible for other firebacks from the west Midlands or Welsh border area. A short horizontal fillet on the right extending perpendicular to the vertical fillet edging below the arch indicates that the fireback originally was of arched rectangular shape and extended to the left and right. The cavetto edging around the arch would have extended to the bottom of the fireback were this not so.

Inscription: ...ACH CAVSE...

Arms: Not known

Description: Arched rectangular shape with ovolo-moulded edging and narrow extensions to sides; central shield bearing arms with lion rampant supporters and motto scroll beneath; above, a marquesal coronet; date split between top corners; inserted initials above coronet; on top of arch, two downward facing dolphins with tails entwined.

Notes: The arms are of the family of Henry Pierrepont, marquess of Dorchester and earl of Kingston-upon-Hull, of Thoresby Hall, Nottinghamshire (blazon: argent semi of cinquefoils gules, a lion rampant sable), with the motto: Pie Repone Te (Place yourself piously), a pun on the name, Pierrepont. Confusingly, the marquisate of Dorchester was created twice for members of the same family. In 1645 it was created for Henry Pierrepont, 2nd earl of Kingston-upon-Hull, becoming extinct on his death without surviving male issue in 1680. It was created again for Evelyn Pierrepont, the 5th earl of Kingston in 1706 who was subsequently elevated to the dukedom of Kingston in 1715. The original casting may therefore have dated to between 1645 and 1680 or between 1706 and 1715. The initials may be related to the Halls, the 2nd Duke of Kingston's mother's family, and were probably added with the date in 1728. Woolley & Wallis auction, Salisbury, 8 Jul 2014, lot 518 (£250); Lyon and Turnbull auction, Edinburgh, 1 Sep 2021, lot 10.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: A H / 17 28 / PIE REPONE TE

Arms: Pierrepont, Marquess of Dorchester

Description: Arched rectangle; ovolo, egg-and-dart moulded edging; shield, helm, coronet, crest and mantling; curved inscription panel below shield.

Notes: The heraldic devices on the shield, and the form of the helm and crest suggest this may be a continental achievement of arms; the style of the fireback is, however, is more characteristic of English types.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: ... D HADRIANI ... EQVITE DOM DE HE.. / ... M.. ... ... [?]

Arms: not known

Description: Plain plate with scrolled side edges; canted arched rectangular astragal and fillet top moulding; central shield, crest and motto of the hardy family.

Inscription: ARMEE DE FOI HARDI

Arms: Hardy

Description: Armorial; one plank line; shield, supporters, helm, crest and garter of the Sackville family: quarterly or and gules, a bend vair.

Notes: The arms of Thomas Sackville (1527-1608), created 1st Baron Buckhurst in 1567 and invested Knight of the Garter in 1589. He was MP for East Grinstead. He was created 1st Earl of Dorset in 1604; the back therefore dates between 1589 and 1604.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: HONI ... MAL Y PEN ...

Arms: Sackville, Baron Buckhurst

Description: Arched plate; ovolo moulding edging; shield, supporters, coronet, helm, crest and motto of Viscount Montague; quarterly Browne, Albini, Fitzalan, Fitzalan of Clare, Warren, Maltravers, Nevill, Montagu, Monthermer, Inglethorpe, Burghe, Delapole, Bradeston, Tiptoft, Charleton and Kent (Plantagenet); supporters: two bears collared and chained; the crest: an eagle, the wings elevated and displayed.

Notes: The arms of either the 2nd (Anthony-Maria Browne, succ. 1592-1629) or 3rd viscount (Francis Browne succ. 1629-1682) - the 1st viscount was a Knight of the Garter and no garter is shown; the style of the modelling bears similarities to that on the 1618 series of firebacks and may be the work of the same pattern-maker.

Inscription: VERITATE DUCE [Be led by Truth]

Arms: Viscount Montague