The Cast Iron Fireplace: A Brief History

Cast iron fireplaces have been around for hundreds of years. In Norman times, forged wrought iron was used to make andirons – the traditional U-shaped containers into which logs were placed for burning. The more modern versions are referred to as firedogs and firebaskets, and these were made from cast-iron or steel, sometimes featuring embellishments of brass or copper. Firebaskets were made entirely of cast iron, forged steel, or a combination of the two. The grate at the bottom of the basket was always made of cast-iron, due to its ability to withstand high temperatures over time.

Cast-iron firebacks came into use at the end of the 15^th century, and the original purpose of these was to protect the back of the fireplace from the heat of the fire. Early examples featured crude patterning, and this was done by pressing simple objects into liquid iron in open sand moulds. Historically, the patterning on a fireback has reflected the political and religious influences of the time. As time went on and fireplaces became smaller, the fireback became incorporated into the coal grate, losing much of its individuality and ornamentation. The fireback was eventually replaced by firestone bricks or tiles, as they possessed excellent heat reflecting qualities.

With the industrial revolution came the ability to mass-produce goods, and so the Victorian era was the era of the cast-iron fireplace. Thanks to the might of the machine, many kinds of cast-iron grates and fireplaces were manufactured and these became very popular with all households, rich and poor. A characteristic Victorian fireplace was made almost entirely of cast iron – some chimneypieces were also made entirely out of cast-iron, avoiding the use of combustible materials.

Firegrates on Victorian cast-iron fireplaces were fairly small, but ample heat was generated by warmth radiating from the polished metal. Victorian cast iron fireplaces ranged from the small and delicate to the large and grandly ornate, with imposing overmantels. One thing they all had in common was an excellent standard of craftsmanship, and due to this the Victorian cast iron fireplace is still in demand today.