Firebacks

Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides); central Tudor royal shield with encircling garter (motto reversed), separate greyhound and lion supporters, separate crown; rectangular bordered stamp with an animal facing to the right, repeated once above and on each side of the armorial; bold fleur-de-lys stamp repeated once on each side of the armorial below the other stamp; all irregularly positioned.

Notes: The armorial and fleurs-de-lys are seen together on a plate at Alfriston Clergy House.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Arms: Tudor royal (prob. Elizabeth I)

Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging on top and sides; cavetto-moulded-edged rectangle top centre, enclosing date between initials; 16 shields of Ayloffe impaling Sulyard in three rows (5-6-5); Ayloffe: sable, a lion rampant Or, collared gules, between three crosses formy of the second; Sulyard: argent, a chevron gules between three pheons inverted sable.

Notes: William Ayloffe (c1535-1584) of Bretons, Hornchurch, Essex, Justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench, married (c1560) Jane, dau. of Sir Eustace Sulyard, of Runwell, Essex. The initials 'CT' are likely to be those of Charles Tyler, a founder whose working life and that of his family have strong parallels with the occurrence of these firebacks. Indentations in the spaces in the upper parts of this fireback appear to impressions of fingers.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: C.1.6.0.1.T

Arms: Ayloffe impaling Sulyard (William Ayloffe of Bretons, Hornchurch)

Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (to and sides); top centre, shield bearing a lion rampant with two heads, between split initials.

Notes: The heraldic charge of a lion rampant with two heads is rare, the only documented family with which it is associated being that of Mason, of Yorkshire, to whom this shield does not seem to apply.

Inscription: TS

Arms: Not known

Description: Rectangular shape; double astragal edging (top and sides); arrangement of repeated square stamps with indented saltires: three down each side, five in a diamond pattern top centre.

Notes: The lines around the edge may well have been formed from impressing a straight edge of some sort.

Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and sides only); five shields of Ayloffe impaling Sulyard in two rows, 3-2; Ayloffe: sable, a lion rampant Or, collared gules, between three crosses formy of the second; Sulyard: argent, a chevron gules between three pheons inverted sable.

Notes: William Ayloffe (c1535-1584) of Bretons, Hornchurch, Essex, Justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench, married (c1560) Jane, dau. of Sir Eustace Sulyard, of Runwell, Essex.

Arms: Ayloffe impaling Sulyard (William Ayloffe of Bretons, Hornchurch)

Description: Rectangular; bold ovolo-moulded edging (top and sides); at top, date widely split by initials in triad.

Notes: Characteristic lettering and numerals of the mid-18th century. The triad of initials probably refer to a husband and wife, the central initial N being that of their surname.

Inscription: 17 INE [triad] 52

Description: Rectangular; ogee-moulded edging on top and side edges; symmetrical layout of date and initials; date split between left and right sides, initials in centre, arranged in triad.

Notes: One of a series of backs dating to the 1730s and 40s using very similar sets of letters and numerals.

Inscription: 17 I M I 34

Description: Rectangular; cavetto moulded edging; pictorial scene of the siege of Bethulia, with Judith placing the severed head of Holofernes into the bag held by her maid; in the lower panel are the top parts of four knightly figures.

Notes: The design is after one by the pattern-maker, Philipp Soldan, and derived from a woodcut of an engraving by Israhel van Meckenhem; it illustrates scenes from the Apocryphal book of Judith.

Description: Stove side plate; cavetto moulded edging; upper panel, Ionic column and pedestal to left; six courtly scenes separated by arches and columns; lower panel, two circular frames, each with a figure, male to the left, female to the right, decorative scroll work between.

Notes: Possibly a graphic retelling of the parable of the Unjust Steward (Luke 16: 1-13)

Inscription: [illegible]

Description: Rectangular; astragal moulding on top and side edges; symmetrical layout of date and initials; date split between left and right sides, initials in middle.

Notes: One of a series of backs dating to the 1730s and 40s using very similar sets of letters and numerals.

Inscription: 17 IF 43