51/1184

This rushlight holder is made of wrought iron with a turned wooden base, and the jaws are counterweighted to grip the rushlight. It dates from the eighteenth century. Rushlights became extremely common after 1709 with the introduction of a tax on candles, which lasted until 1831. Rushes were peeled and the pith was weathered and immersed in hot bacon fat and left to dry, before being burned.

1 rushlight holder: metal (wrought iron); wood; good condition

MERL 'Catalogue index' card – 'Rushlights were made from the common soft rush, “juncus effusus”. The rushes were peeled, apart from a narrow strip running the length of the rush, which served to hold the pith together. After a certain amount of weathering the pith was immersed in hot bacon fat or some other suitable substance and then placed on a sheet of bark to dry. // Gilbert White in the “Natural History of Selbourne” describes the whole process of rush light making in a letter dated 1775. He mentions that there may be upwards of 1600 rush lights to the pound and that one rush costs about one eleventh of a penny to make. Rushes were normally about 12 inches long and one of this length would burn for about half an hour. // The use of the rush light became extremely common after the introduction of the tax on candles in 1709. This tax remained in force until 1831. Most rushlight holders, therefore, date from the 18th and early 19th centuries. // This holder was made in the 18th century and consists of a pair of wrought iron jaws mounted on a turned wooden block. One jaw is weighted to hold the rushlight, which was placed at a slight angle to the vertical. This is a particularly fine specimen, the metal being decorated. It stands 11.75 inches high.', Victoria & Albert Museum No. M113, 1914.

1700-01-01 - 1799-12-31

Eighteenth century

Wood, Metal, iron