John Harvey was a yeoman, master ropemaker, and father of Gabriel Harvey – writer, scholar and famous quarreller with fellow writers Thomas Nashe and Robert Greene. John was also a member of his local Corporation (town council), serving as treasurer from 1572 to 1573. But it is his craft occupation that is depicted in a carved mantlepiece once located in his home in the Essex town of Saffron Walden. The house apparently included several outbuildings, one of which was presumably the ropehouse, and a piece of flat ground 1000-1400 feet long called a rope-yard or rope-walk, where hemp, jute or flax was twisted into ropes long enough for multiple uses. As with much decoration at this time, the imagery carved into the top section of the fireplace is highly symbolic. Starting on the left, a horse or donkey carries a saddle pack. A tree full of fruit stands next to it, followed by a rope-making scene. Three ropemakers in contemporary dress work together to twist strands into a single, thick rope. With both hands on a vertical handle, one steadies the strands passing through a thick vertical board fixed to the ground in front of him; another stands facing him, twisting the triple strands into the single rope with a double-handed implement; the third keeps the tension on the newly-twisted rope with a cart-jack which he moves slowly forward as the rope gets thicker. Farm animals appear in the background and, to the right, a donkey eats the finished pieces of rope lying on the ground. A small oak tree then separates the donkey from a hive swarming with bees.<br /> <br /> The imagery on this chimney-piece was based on the images in a popular emblem book by the Italian writer Alciato, perhaps from one of the editions printed on the Continent. In addition, the Latin epigrams or pithy sayings are probably taken from Virgil and would be familiar from the grammar school curriculum, giving insight into the importance of schooling for our middling groups.<br /> <br /> Emblems were collections of allegorical images with accompanying text, poetry or mottoes. They often had a moral meaning and the symbols carved into this mantelpiece promote hard work (through the bee-hive labouring animals) and occupational pride (rope making). John used his home and its decoration to craft his middling identity. His status and wealth evidently came from his occupation as a skilled rope maker, so he chose to celebrate it here, where everyone would see it as they faced the fire on cold days and nights. Through cultural activities like investment in decoration and home innovation, people like John Harvey were able to shape and outwardly display the central role of occupation in middling identities.
The Harveys’ Mantelpiece (Overmantel), c.1570

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The Harveys’ Mantelpiece

The Harveys’ Mantelpiece (Overmantel), c.1570

John Harvey was a yeoman, master ropemaker, and father of Gabriel Harvey – writer, scholar and famous quarreller with fellow writers Thomas Nashe and Robert Greene. John was also a member of his local Corporation (town council), serving as treasurer from 1572 to 1573. But it is his craft occupation that is depicted in a carved mantlepiece once located in his home in the Essex town of Saffron Walden. The house apparently included several outbuildings, one of which was presumably the ropehouse, and a piece of flat ground 1000-1400 feet long called a rope-yard or rope-walk, where hemp, jute or flax was twisted into ropes long enough for multiple uses. As with much decoration at this time, the imagery carved into the top section of the fireplace is highly symbolic. Starting on the left, a horse or donkey carries a saddle pack. A tree full of fruit stands next to it, followed by a rope-making scene. Three ropemakers in contemporary dress work together to twist strands into a single, thick rope. With both hands on a vertical handle, one steadies the strands passing through a thick vertical board fixed to the ground in front of him; another stands facing him, twisting the triple strands into the single rope with a double-handed implement; the third keeps the tension on the newly-twisted rope with a cart-jack which he moves slowly forward as the rope gets thicker. Farm animals appear in the background and, to the right, a donkey eats the finished pieces of rope lying on the ground. A small oak tree then separates the donkey from a hive swarming with bees.

The imagery on this chimney-piece was based on the images in a popular emblem book by the Italian writer Alciato, perhaps from one of the editions printed on the Continent. In addition, the Latin epigrams or pithy sayings are probably taken from Virgil and would be familiar from the grammar school curriculum, giving insight into the importance of schooling for our middling groups.

Emblems were collections of allegorical images with accompanying text, poetry or mottoes. They often had a moral meaning and the symbols carved into this mantelpiece promote hard work (through the bee-hive labouring animals) and occupational pride (rope making). John used his home and its decoration to craft his middling identity. His status and wealth evidently came from his occupation as a skilled rope maker, so he chose to celebrate it here, where everyone would see it as they faced the fire on cold days and nights. Through cultural activities like investment in decoration and home innovation, people like John Harvey were able to shape and outwardly display the central role of occupation in middling identities.

Object Type Overmantel
Year c.1570
Material Stone
Discovered Essex
Owned By Saffron Walden Museum, Essex
Keywords looking; displaying; owning; assets; occupation; craftsmanship; visual culture; print; stone; decoration
Image Credit Overmantel (c. 1570) © Saffron Walden Museum, Essex. No copyright infringement intended.

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