{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O373752"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O373752/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2022ND1882/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2022ND1882/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2022ND1882","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2022ND1881","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2022ND1883","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JK5616","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JK5621","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JK5617","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JK5618","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JK5619","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JK5620","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JR3936","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O373752/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O373752","accessionNumber":"M.209-1976","objectType":"Railing","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":"Railings and finial of cast iron, with traces of brown-black, black, dark grey, red-brown, grey, dark grey brown, light brown, bright red ochre, red ochre, red/white lead, dark brown, green (vivid), orange brown, sparkly grey, dark red ochre, very pale grey and rust. ","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Lamberhurst Foundry","id":"AUTH326597"},"association":{"text":"makers","id":"AAT251917"},"note":"probably"}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"cast iron","id":"AAT11004"}],"techniques":[{"text":"casting","id":"AAT53104"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Cast iron","categories":[{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Ironwork","id":"THES251837"},{"text":"Architectural fittings","id":"THES48994"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2022ND1882","2022ND1881","2022ND1883","2016JK5616","2016JK5621","2016JK5617","2016JK5618","2016JK5619","2016JK5620","2016JR3936"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"114A (VA)","id":"THES49914"},"free":"","case":"EXP","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES405556"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES405556"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Railings","id":""}],[{"text":"Finial","id":""}],[{"text":"Railing","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Sussex","id":"x41271"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1710-1714","earliest":"1705-01-01","latest":"1714-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by St. Paul's Cathedral","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"168","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"126","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"86","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"With the railings around the Senate in Cambridge, and those around St Martin's-in-the- Fields, these are some of the earliest English cast iron railings known. They are said to  have been made by the foundry at Lamberhurst, Sussex. (See, E. Straker, Wealden  Iron, p.272). According to the accounts in the Cathedral Library they were delivered between  September 13th 1710 and June 10th 1714, and payment was made to, \"Richard Jones  Smith, of a sum of £11,202 0s 6d, being for 200 tons 2 quarters 25lbs, at 6d per lb\". (See, E. Straker, p.207). Wren, the cathedral's architect, apparently wanted neither a fence around the building, nor if there had to be one, that it should be of cast rather than wrought iron. He was however, over-ruled by the Whig-biased Rebuilding Commission, at whose suggestion  Richard Jones had tendered. On September 20th, 1710, Jones was paid £1,000 on account for the fence; Wren attended no further meetings of the Commission. (See, Judith Hook, The Baroque Age in England\", p.101, and The Wren Society, xvi, p.149).","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Railings and finial, cast iron, probably made by Lamberhurst Foundry; Sussex, ca. 1710-1714.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Robertson, E. G. and Joan Robertson. <u>Cast Iron Decoration, A World  Survey</u>. London : Thames and Hudson, 1977. pl.33, p.16."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Straker, E. <u>Wealden Iron</u>. pp. 207, 272"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Hook, Judith. <u>The Baroque Age in England</u>. p.101."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Wren Society. XXI. p.149."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Bosomworth, Dorothy. Railings Revived. <u>Traditional Homes</u>. 1985. pp.42-48."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"RAILINGS\r\nCast iron,\r\nSt. Paul’s, London, England, c. 1710-1714\r\n\r\n\r\nThis is an example of one of the earliest English cast iron railings. They were made for St. Paul’s Cathedral and are believed to have been made at the foundry at Lamberhurst, Sussex.\r\n\r\nAccording to accounts in the Cathedral library the railings were delivered between 13th September 1710 and 10th June 1714. Payment was made to ‘Richard Jones Smith, of a sum of £11,202 0s 6d, being for 200 tons 2 quarters 25lbs, at 6d per lb’.\r\n\r\nChristopher Wren, architect of St. Paul’s Cathedral apparently did not want a fence around the building but was overruled by the Whig-biased Rebuilding Commission.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n   \r\n\r\n  \r\n\r\n\r\nMuseum No. M.209:1-1976\r\n","date":{"text":"05/02/2025","earliest":"2025-02-05","latest":"2025-02-05"}},{"text":"RAILINGS\nCast iron\nEngland (St Paul's, London); 1710-14\nM.209-1976\n\nWith the railings around the Senate in Cambridge, and those around St Martin's-in-the-Fields, these are some of the earliest English cast iron railings known. They are said to have been made by the foundry at Lamberhurst, Sussex. (See, E. Straker, Wealden Iron, p.272).\nAccording to the accounts in the Cathedral Library they were delivered between September 13th 1710 and June 10th 1714, and payment was made to, \"Richard Jones Smith, of a sum of £11,202 0s 6d, being for 200 tons 2 quarters 25lbs, at 6d per lb\". (See, E. Straker, p.207).\nWren, the cathedral's architect, apparently wanted neither a fence around the building, nor if there had to be one, that it should be of cast rather than wrought iron. He was however, over-ruled by the Whig-biased Rebuilding Commission, at whose suggestion Richard Jones had tendered. On September 20th, 1710, Jones was paid £1,000 on account for the fence; Wren attended no further meetings of the Commission. (See, Judith Hook, The Baroque Age in England\", p.101, and The Wren Society, xvi, p.149).\n\n","date":{"text":"07/1994","earliest":"1994-07-01","latest":"1994-07-31"}}],"partNumbers":["M.209:1-1976","M.209:2-1976","M.209:3-1976"],"accessionNumberNum":"209","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1976,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Railings","Finial","Railing"],"assets":["2026PN9238"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-04-13","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-24","availableToBook":false}}