Where Were English Monumental Brasses Made?

The majority of surviving English monumental brasses were made in workshops that were set up in the early 14th century at Norwich, York and London. Brasses from the different workshops can be identified by comparing the different styles of design. Each workshop had its own series of distinctive templates from which the client who was commissioning the work would choose. This basic template was then used and personalised embellishments were added to make a unique piece.

In some cases, extra money was paid by the client and a completely new design was specially made and engraved. It is possible to identify where these pieces were made by the characteristics of the brass images, which were stylised and followed a particular style according to the individual workshop. The images of a deceased person were only representative – no effort was made to produce a true likeness of the person when they were alive.