-
1194
Description: Rectangular shape; twisted rope or strap edging (top and sides); semi-random arrangement of three stamps interspersed with rope crosses and rope 'squares' with saltires or linked smaller squares within; low centre, a crowned rose-en-soleil stamp repeated, more or less regularly, five times across the width of the fireback; above, four circular butter mould stamps with a hexagonal design, between which are two rope squares with saltires and, to the left, a rope square containing a smaller square with its corners linked to the corners of the outer square; above, a horned sheep standing on a base repeated four times, between which are two crowned rose-en-soleil stamps and four rope crosses, with a square-within-a-square at the right end.
Notes: The rose-en-soleil was the badge of King Edward IV and, thus, a Yorkist symbol. It, together with the butter mould and rope squares, are seen on other firebacks associating them with the same producer/foundry. A ram is the crest of the Gage family of West Firle, for many centuries major landholders in Sussex. Formerly at Heringdales/Heronsdale Manor, Waldron, East Sussex, which, however, was not a Gage property. Illustration from Christy 1908.
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- rope (edging)
- simple stamps
- carved stamps
- heraldic
- apotropaic
- animals
- objects
Manufactured: in the mid- to late-16th century possibly at Pounsley Furnace, Framfield in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Wickham Manor, Winchelsea, East Sussex, England.
Museum number: NT/WMF/M/007 (part of the National Trust museum group)
Citation: Gardner, J. S., 1898, 'Iron Casting in the Weald', Archaeologia, 56, 1, pp. 133-164.
- Attached to series:
- Pounsley series
- Food mould stamp firebacks
- Rose-en-soleil series
-
1195
Description: Rectangular shape; no edging; top centre, cross formed of two lengths of twisted rope, with a flattened saltire of the same below; top right, a shield, indented at the top, charged with a bird upon a branch, below which is an indeterminate semi-spherical feature; on each side of the cross, a stylised fleur-de-lys in low relief; top left, an inverted shield with indeterminate decoration (suggested by Christy to be IC).
Notes: The cross and saltire will have had an apotropaic purpose. Illustration from Christy 1908, who stated it was in Buxted, East Sussex.
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- none (edging)
- simple stamps
- carved stamps
- heraldic
- apotropaic
- objects
Manufactured: in the early- to mid-16th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: not known.
- Attached to series:
- Bird shield series
- Rope design firebacks
-
1035
? x ? mmDescription: Rectangular with furniture-derived mounding (top and sides); double-loop 'lens' pattern stamp repeated inside the moulded edging nine times along the top and three times down each side; top left, initials RBD in triad; right of top centre, date 1602; top right, initials RT split between two repeated dog stamps; four other dog stamps in pairs below, and one below date; becapped human figure stamp, with his left arm raised to his head and his right arm akimbo, repeated four times below initial triad and two singly, one below lone dog stamp and one centre right; top centre, stamp of a crest formed of a stag 'lodged' (i.e. sitting) upon a wreath, in this instance only with pseudo legs drawn below, also repeated six times in two rows of three left of lower centre, with one to the left of the six; 'renaissance' shield bearing initials 'IE' linked with twisted cord, repeated lower left and right with a third bottom centre impressed partially over the centremost stag crest.
Notes: A fireback remarkable for the haphazard arrangement of groups of seemingly unrelated stamps. Acquired in 1900 by Sir Spencer Maryon-Wilson for Charlton House (Country Life, 23 April 1904, from whence has come the illustration); several of the stamps have been noted on two other firebacks, both dated 1617, and suggesting by their location an origin in the Horsham area of the Weald.
Inscription: R B D [triad] 1602 R T / IE IE / IE
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- furniture moulding (edging)
- carved stamps
- heraldic
- monogram
- text
- animals
- humans
Manufactured: in 1602 in the Weald area of England.
Current location: not known.
Citation: Gardner, J. S., 30 Apr 1904, 'An old fire-back' (letter), Country Life, p. 647.
Citation: S. M. W. [Spencer Maryon-Wilson], 23 Apr 1904, 'An old fireback' [letter], Country Life, p. 611.
Citation: Shuffrey, L. A., 1912, The English Fireplace, London, Batsford.
-
968
Description: Rectangular; truncated egg and dart moulded edging on top and left side; top right of centre, date in individual over-pressed stamps; initials in over-pressed stamps centred below date.
Notes: A rare use of egg and dart moulding used as separate edging, presumably derived from redundant domestic moulding or furniture.
Inscription: 1637 / H V
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- egg and dart (edging)
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- text
Manufactured: in 1637 possibly in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Cowden, Kent, England.
- Attached to series:
- Date & initials firebacks
-
887
Description: Rectangular; stepped fillet edging (top and sides), ending short of bottom of plate; rose and crown stamp repeated three times across top of plate, with initials 'IT' followed by a rose stamp to left, and a rose stamp followed by the date to right (1 or I crossed in both cases); concentric roundel stamp between each pair of rose and crown stamps; lower down, five small inverted fleurs-de-lys between four concentric roundels; below left, initials FED in triad; below right, FRD in triad (D reversed).
Notes: An alleged connection with the Tichborne family who lived at Crippenden in Cowden, Kent, may be justified if the initials, IT, refer to John Tichborne, the last of his family in the village, who died in 1708. The identities of those whose initials form the two triads is not known. The style of rose and crown is similar to that used in gun founding in the Tudor period, suggesting that the furnace that was the source of this fireback may have been used for that purpose.
Inscription: IT 1699 / EFD [triad] RFD [triad]
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- stepped fillet (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- heraldic
- text
- objects
Manufactured: in 1699 in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Crippenden Manor, Cowden, Kent, England.
- Attached to series:
- 1660s-90s Wealden series
- Date & initials firebacks
-
38
Description: Rectangular; fillet and astragal edging; initials between date in one horizontal line, upper half of plate.
Inscription: 16 ES 57
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- astragal & fillet (edging)
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- text
Manufactured: in 1657 possibly in the Weald area of England.
Current location: Cowfold Cottage Tandoori, Cowfold, West Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Date & initials firebacks
-
1007
Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging on top and sides; cavetto-moulded-edged rectangle top centre, enclosing date between initials; 14 shields of Ayloffe impaling Sulyard arranged 5-4-5; 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 Hornchurch, Essex, Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench, married (c1560) Jane, dau. of Sir Eustace Sulyard, of Runwell, Essex. A large number of variants use the same shields; this example, unusually, has the initials RS instead of the more common CT. Illustration from Cowper (1911). Previously at Loddenden, Staplehurst, and before that at Great Cheveney, Marden, Kent.
Inscription: R 1627 S
Arms: Ayloffe impaling Sulyard (William Ayloffe of Bretons, Hornchurch)
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- rope (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- armorial
- text
Manufactured: in 1627 possibly at Hawkhurst Furnace in the Weald area of England.
Current location: not known.
- Attached to series:
- Ayloffe series
- Personal armorial firebacks
-
487
Description: Rectangular; cavetto-moulded edging; shield, garter, supporters and crown of the English royal house of Stuart.
Notes: One of many designs of the Stuart royal arms on firebacks. Another, corroded version of this fireback measures 900mm x 610mm. Criterion Auctions, Bath, 10 Sep 2016 lot 168.
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: HONY SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE
Arms: English Stuart royal
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- cavetto (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- armorial
- royal
Manufactured: in the mid- to late-17th century in England.
Current location: not known.
- Attached to series:
- Stuart royal armorial firebacks
-
1114
Description: Rectangular; twisted rope edging (top and two-thirds down sides); rope length across each top corner.
Notes: The twisted rope lengths are particularly well defined.
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- rope (edging)
- simple stamps
- objects
Manufactured: in the mid- to late-16th century in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Crowborough, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Rope design firebacks
-
911
Description: Plain rectangular plate; no edging; top centre, date with '7' reversed; below date, initials in triad.
Notes: The reversed '7' indicates that the numerals, and probably the letters, had no backing; the initials are probably those of a husband and wife whose surname began with 'H'.
Inscription: 1676 / BHM
- Decoration tags:
- rectangular (shape)
- none (edging)
- carved stamps
- individual letters
- individual numbers
- text
Manufactured: in 1676 in the Weald area of England.
Current location: in private hands, Crowhurst, East Sussex, England.
- Attached to series:
- Date & initials firebacks