Firebacks

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: Rectangular; top and side edging formed from the repeated stamping of a short length of twisted rope; three gothic panels arranged horizontally, the centre one wider than the other two, each panel a symmetrical arrangement of tracery patterns with an inverted ogee arch on top incorporating two flowers; a separate fleur-de-lys stamp has been repeated above each panel.

Notes: The panels were probably derived from a dismantled wooden chest or hutch table, c.1500. Their gothic style belies the probable age of the fireback, such chests already being old when their parts might have been re-used. The same panels are on a fireback at Nymans, Handcross.

Description: Rectangular; ovolo-moulded edging; inscription across top of plate, numerals, except '2', larger than letters, 'A' raised above 'I' and 'M'.

Notes: A late, and rather unsophisticated example of the use of individual stamps.

Inscription: 17 IAM 32

Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides); fleur de lys arranged in a pattern of 20, in three rows: 7-6-7.

Notes: A type of fleur-de-lys used on firebacks possibly cast at Pounsley Furnace.

Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging; central crowned Tudor shield with lion passant guardant sinister to the left, and lion passant to right; four-petalled rose in right and left corners; crowned, barbed, four-petalled rose below shield.

Notes: One of a large series bearing some or all of the same stamps.

Arms: Tudor royal arms of England

Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides); basic arrangement of crowned Tudor rose above a crowned Tudor royal shield, all between a crowned lion passant guardant sinister and lion passant, both per bend, repeated on both halves of the plate; irregularly arranged, mainly along the top and bottom, are sixteen small figures, alternately with right arm raised or lowered; bottom left and centre right are two different arrangements of a length of twisted rope in 'V' and 'I'.

Notes: The stamps used on this large fireback are encountered on several firebacks indicating their common source; previously at Legh Manor, Cuckfield, Sussex.

Arms: Tudor royal arms of England

Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging; irregular arrangement of three rope lengths at top left; rope cross above ‘V’ at middle bottom; impression of a pair of scissors between two impressions of a domestic table knife.

Notes: The knife is early-17th century in date or perhaps a bit earlier, just into Elizabeth I’s reign. The pommels date them from around this time and the long and narrow blades are right for the end of Elizabeth/early James I. The irregular rope lengths suggest this is probably part of a larger fireback.

Description: Fragment; right part, prob. rectangular; twisted strip edging (top and sides); stamp of firedog with semi-circular feet, and with shields at top and bottom of shaft, the lower with quartered arms, the upper with diagonal bar over a rectangle (gate?); horizontal twisted strip length to left of firedog.

Notes: The twisted lengths clearly show the flattened form of a strip of material (poss. leather).

Description: Fragment; bottom left corner missing; rectangular; ovolo-moulded edging; initials split by date across top of plate.

Notes: The numerals show the transition between archaic and modern type styles.

Inscription: S 1753 W

Description: Rectangular; triple-moulded edging (top and sides); top left, initials RKI in triad; top right, date.

Notes: The initials probably relate to a husband and wife, the top initial being that of their surname.

Inscription: RKI [triad] 1683