What makes this tiled grate so unusual is the two large doors each side housing a set of antique tiles, and behind each of these tiled doors is a further three doors. The top door remains closed to act as the hood or canopy and would only be opened to facilitate sweeping the chimney. The other two can be used to control the temperature of the room and closed at night the fire when not in use. The few Gold Medal Eagle Grates we  have seen and removed have often originated from bedrooms where regulating the temperature of the room over night is paramount, so a fireplace and flue that you can close is essential.

Another serious benefit of this fireplace and it’s tiled doors is the fact that you can access the tile racks whilst the fireplace is fitted and in-situ. So should you feel so inclined you can easily change the tiles as you change the decor of the room. All other tiled grates have the tile racks attached to the rear and once fitted cannot be accessed.

You can find more detials about our new and intresting acquistion by following this link Gold Medal Eagle Grate stock number 1-995

A picture of a Gold Medal Eagle Grate in a Victorian bedroom can be found in the book - The Victorian Houseby Kit Wedd. The picture was taken at ‘Sunnycroft’ Shropshire, a beautiful red-brick villa, which is now a National Trust propery. Details can be found by following this link http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-sunnycroft

One of these acquisitions is a rare cast iron bedroom fireplace (The first in the slide show). It was produced by the renowned Barnard Bishop and Barnard foundry based in Norwich and designed by Thomas Jekyll (1827-1881). Without any legible registered number it is impossible to accurately date this fireplace but it certainly dates to circa 1870, mid to late Victorian.

Barnard Bishop and Barnard were at the forefront of the Aesthetic Movement in the 1870’s and 1880’s

Thomas Jekyll was a trained architect and started working at the Barnard Bishop and Barnard foundry in 1859 and is best know for his metal work design in particular fireplace and fireplace grates.

This fireplace would almost certainly have originated in a bedroom due to its small size. When reinstated it will add considerable charm, character and a touch of Nostalgia to any room!

More details of this rare reclaimed fireplace can be found here.

My house is Grade II listed, does that mean that only the outside is listed?

 No. For all Grades of listed buildings (Grade II, II* and I) the extent of listing is the same. That means that all listed buildings are listed inside and outside, from the bottom to the top. Fixtures and fittings are also included in the listing, this includes amongst other items, fireplaces, fitted cupboards, doors, staircases and floorboards. The listing also includes the ‘curtilage’ that is the grounds of the building which for most houses means the gardens and can include any buildings within the curtilage such as garages or other outbuildings.

I have been told I might need Listed Building Consent, what does this mean?

If you want to carry out any works of demolition, alteration or extension to your property you will need Listed Building Consent (LBC). This is similar to planning permission but there is no fee attached to an application. The application is made to the local planning authority (LPA), who have 8 weeks to determine it. An application has to include sufficient details for the LPA to understand what is proposed which will include the application form, location plan and scale drawings.

This may seem daunting at first but do not worry, just because something requires LBC does not necessarily mean that you cannot do it. The large majority of LBC applications submitted each year are approved. It should be seen as a way to carefully manage change to listed buildings, rather than prevent any change.

My house is Georgian and this fireplace is a horrible 1950’s fireplace so can I change it for a nicer one more suited to the period of the house?

Simply because a particular feature is a later addition to a building does not necessarily mean it should be removed. Often features that show how a building has evolved over time are important and can demonstrate changes in fashions or fortunes such as a Victorian conservatory on a Georgian building or an Edwardian staircase in a Victorian house. However, in some instances if a feature is out of keeping with the property it may be appropriate to change it for something more suitable. Certainly changing a fireplace will require Listed Building Consent (LBC) so contact you local conservation officer in the first instance.

I want to change the fireplace in my listed house. What should I do first?

First you should speak to you local conservation officer. Each local planning authority or (LPA) employs a conservation specialist who can talk you through the relevant process. You can find the details for your conservation officer on your LPA’s web-site. By seeking advice early on you should be able to resolve any potential issues and ensure that when you submit an application it is supported.

These answers are just my personal opinion and do not constitute formal legal advice. For more information contact your local conservation officer.

The first is obviously the creation of this Blog. Here you will be able to read anything from our musings on the antiques trade in general to tips and techniques on restoring reclaimed fireplaces.  We welcome any questions or comments on all aspects of antique fireplaces and the antiques trade as a whole.

We have created a portfolio of some of our recently installed antique fireplaces. We hope this will show you what a spectacular focal point they can be in all kinds of interiors. So keep an eye on this page as its always being updated. Portfolio page.

We have also added another string to our bow and are now offering our expert restoration skills to your own antique fireplace. Take a look at a small selection of Before & After pictures of our reclaimed fireplaces.  Restoration page.

We have made searching through our vast stock of unrestored antique fireplaces that much easier as we have now sub categorised them like our restored antique fireplaces. Unrestored page.

Our most exciting change is perhaps the addition of a new category of Decorative Antiques where we can display some of our very interesting, non fireplace related antique pieces, such as reclaimed cast iron urns, antique light fittings, Victorian garden benches and much much more. Decorative Antiques page.