Firebacks

Earl of Leicester series

  1. 58

    enniskillen,_florence court 01.jpg
    726 x 745 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    Description: Arched rectangular shape; cavetto edging; a pheon (a downward-pointing arrow head barbed on the inner edge), the badge of the Sidneys, within a wreath, an earl’s coronet above; the date on either side of the coronet.

    Notes: The badge is of the Sidneys, Earls of Leicester. The date is most likely to be 1626 as the Earldom was not conferred upon Robert Sidney until 1618 and he died in 1626. A recast plate.

    Inscription: 16 [?]26

    Arms: Badge of Sidney family, Earls of Leicester

    Manufactured: in the early- to mid-17th century possibly at Robertsbridge Furnace, Salehurst in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Florence Court, Enniskillen, Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.

    Museum number: 630836 (part of the National Trust museum group)

  2. 511

    penshurst_01.jpg
    940 x 710 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    Description: Rectangular with semi-circular protrusions on the top and sides; cavetto 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 wreathed pheon and coronet are cast from a different pattern to the 1626 and 1630 plates.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: 16 47 / R L

    Manufactured: in 1647 possibly at Robertsbridge Furnace, Salehurst in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Penshurst Place, Penshurst, Kent, England.

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

  3. 588

    winchester_museum store 01.jpg
    905 x 740 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    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

    Manufactured: in 1630 possibly at Robertsbridge Furnace, Salehurst in the Weald area of England.

    Current location: Winchester Museums Store, Unit F2, Bar End Industrial Estate, Winchester, Hampshire, Winchester, Hampshire, England.

    Museum number: WINCM:LH 5704 (part of the Winchester Museums museum group)