PREFACE

Of late years there has been a marked awakening of general interest in monumental brasses. Previously, the more imposing realism of statuary—either in single figures or in groups—may be said to have deprived these ancient relics of the recognition they deserved. But recently it has begun to dawn upon the more artistic members, at least of the thinking public, how much of real archaeological interest attaches to memorial brasses, hitherto known and appreciated only by the few.

As yet, however, there has been no cheap and handy manual which will give the ordinary man in the street a fair idea of the classes into which they may most readily be grouped, and at the same time furnish him with such essential details as will enable him to distinguish instinctively the salient points of the subject, and assimilate them to the full. It is hoped that this little volume will succeed in fulfilling this aim.

The arrangement of the chapters is into periods corresponding with those of History instead of the artificial method of grouping into knights, knights and ladies, demi-figures, etc. Those who would wish to follow up the subject in more extended form should read Mr Macklin’s excellent work The Brasses of England, also Haines’ Manual and Boutell’s Monumental Brasses.

Most of the illustrations are from the author’s own collection of rubbings (numbering over 1500), and practically all the letter-press and descriptions are based on his personal observations either from the rubbings or from the brasses themselves. In a few cases where this is not so, the author is indebted to one or other of those authors above mentioned. The Editor of The Builder has kindly given us permission for the use of two of the blocks made from the author’s rubbings, which appeared in a recent number of that paper.

J. S. M. W.

August 16, 1912.