Monumental Brass Society JANUARY 2010 BULLETIN 113 Monumental Brass Society 242 The Bulletin is published three times a year, in January, Editorial May and September. Articles for inclusion in the next issue should be sent to the Hon. Bulletin Editor, The Society owes an enormous debt to Les Smith William Lack, 2 The Radleth, Plealey, Pontesbury, who recently stepped down as Hon. Bulletin Shrewsbury SY5 0XF by 1st April 2010. Contributions Editor. He produced, with unfailing good humour, to Notes on Books and Articles should be sent to 66 issues over the last 22 years. In his last editorial Richard Busby, ‘Treetops’, Beech Hill, Hexham, Les described how technology changed during his Northumberland NE46 3AG by 1st March 2010. tenure. His first copies were produced with a Contributors may send articles either as typed double- typewriter and old-fashioned cut and paste. Today spaced copy or digitally, on disk or as an e-mail the copy is computer-originated and delivered to attachment, to either [email protected] or the printers electronically. [email protected]. As you can see we have now moved a step further, Useful Society contacts: with the introduction of colour and a new For general enquiries or matters concerning the professionally-designed layout. The Bulletin is being conservation of brasses (including thefts etc): produced digitally and will also be accessible on the Martin Stuchfield, Hon. Secretary, Lowe Hill House, Society’s website. It’s our newsletter and, together Stratford St Mary, Suffolk CO7 6JX with the website, the most immediate means of Email: [email protected] communication with the membership. With this Bookstall and brass rubbing materials: new start we would like to encourage as many as Jane Houghton, 9 Enstone Road, Lowestoft, possible to contribute. A glance through this issue Suffolk NR33 0NE will show the wide variety of member’s interests. So Email: [email protected] get writing, photographing and rubbing! Contributions for publication in the Transactions: Nicholas Rogers, Hon. Editor, c/o Muniment Room, Cover illustration Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge CB2 3HU Email: [email protected] Early in 2009 our member Jonathan Ali from Subscriptions or membership of the Society: Hawkshaw, near Bury, visited a near neighbour, Rosalind Willatts, Hon. Membership Secretary formerly the village butcher. On walking through the Barlows Cottage, 2 Barlows Lane, Wilbarston, drawing room an object on the heavily-congested Market Harborough, Leicestershire LE16 8QB sideboard caught his attention. Jonathan was convinced Email: [email protected] that the piece was a Trinity from a monumental brass. Website: Apparently it had been purchased by a tinker called Jon Bayliss, Hon. Internet Publicity Officer Frank Harrison from a market stall at Bury or Clitheroe 31 Churchfields, Hethersett, Norwich, in c.1949. Subsequently Harrison parted with the brass Norfolk NR9 3AF in lieu of rent for parking his caravan on a small-holding Email: [email protected] at Hawkshaw belonging to Herbert Tyldesley and his Hon. Treasurer's Notice wife Marjorie. In 1991 the Trinity was bequeathed to On 1st January all subscriptions for 2010 became due. If their son, Herbert Frederick. you have not yet paid, please send £25.00 (associate/student £12.50, family £35.00) to Rosalind The brass is obviously genuine and bears a close Willatts (contact details above). Make cheques payable resemblance to the Trinity on the memorial to Sir John to the ‘Monumental Brass Society’. Many thanks to all Broke, Baron Cobham, and wife Margaret, 1506, at those members who have completed Gift Aid forms. Any Cobham, Kent (M.S.XVIII). Examination reveals that U.K. tax-paying member can enable the Society to it once formed part of a canopy arrangement because of reclaim tax on their subscription. Complete and send in the bevelling on the edges and not being of uniform the form that can be downloaded directly from www.mbs- width (123-130 mm). Intriguingly, the plate is also brasses.co.uk. U.S. members preferring to pay in dollars slightly convex consistent with bomb or blast damage. can send a check for U.S. $45.00 to Shirley Mattox, 1313 Does it originate from Lancashire, a county not Jackson Street, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901. For $4.00 renowned for a plethora of brass memorials let alone extra payable with subscription the Bulletins can be airmailed. Correspondence on all other financial matters high-status ones, or was it plundered from a war- should be sent to the Hon. Treasurer, Hugh Guilford, damaged church elsewhere in the country? Answers 14 Green Park, Prestwood, Bucks. HP16 0PZ. please on a postcard to the Hon. Secretary! 243 Monumental Brass Society Diary of Events Saturday, 6th February 2010 at 2.15p.m. Saturday, 15th May 2010 GENERAL MEETING SOCIETY EXCURSION – KENT BRASSES IN PRIVATE POSSESSION This Excursion led by Graham Wood will This General Meeting will be held at the Royal commence from Ashford Station at 10.30a.m. and Foundation of St. Katharine, 2 Butcher Row, visit churches at Ashford, Great Chart, Cranbrook London E14 8DS. Our member, Stephen Freeth, and Biddenden. See enclosed booking form. has retained a lifelong interest recording and keeping track of Brasses in Private Possession. Stephen will share Saturday, 10th July 2010 his unrivalled knowledge of this somewhat neglected ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING field of study. In contrast, Martin Stuchfield, will PETERBOROUGH CATHEDRAL provide a fascinating insight into the recent recovery of Further details in next issue. privately-owned brasses from salerooms and elsewhere. Members will also have a rare opportunity to Saturday, 25th September 2010 see original brasses some of which have been out of STUDY DAY circulation for a considerable period of time - in one LONG MELFORD, SUFFOLK instance for more than 350 years! Further details in next issue. C.M.S. EVENT Saturday, 31st July 2010 WEST YORKSHIRE EXCURSION Commences from Wakefield West Station at 10.30a.m. Visits to Methley, Wragby, Darton and Thornhill – churches which are usually kept locked. Cost £20.00 to C.M.S./M.B.S.; £25.00 to non- members, including morning coffee and afternoon tea (lunch not included). Cheques payable to the ‘Church Monuments Society’ should be sent to Patrick Farman at 4 Hollins Crescent, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG1 2JG. Symbol of St. Matthew formerly in the possession of W.H. Fenton St. Katharine’s is located less than five minutes walk from Limehouse D.L.R. and B.R. station with easy access by tube (Central, Circle, District or Northern line to Bank/Monument. Change to Docklands Light Railway (D.L.R.). Limehouse is second stop from Bank or Tower Gateway) or by bus (routes 15, 115, 135, 277, D3, D6 and D7 to Limehouse). See map on right. Saturday, 20th March 2010 at 2.00p.m. GENERAL MEETING HAREFIELD CHURCH, MIDDLESEX With the coverage of the City churches all but exhausted the emphasis for the foreseeable future will be placed on attractive locations containing brasses and monuments which are accessible via the London transport system. Harefield church, which has been described as ‘the Westminster Abbey of West Middlesex’, contains an abundance of brasses and a fine array of monuments. See enclosed leaflet. Monumental Brass Society 244 Personalia We congratulate two members on the award of David King, 31 Burnt Hills, Cromer, PhDs: Claire Daunton by the University of East Norfolk NR27 9LW. Anglia on ‘The Patronage and Iconography of Tim Tatton-Brown, Fisherton Mill House, Stained Glass in Late Medieval Norfolk: An Mill Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP2 7RZ. Historical Analysis', and Rob Kinsey by the Cindy Wood, 2 Lions Court, Wimborne Road, University of York on 'Legal Service, Careerism and Lytchett Matravers, Poole, Dorset BH16 6HQ. Social Advancement in Late Medieval England: The Thorpes of Northamptonshire, c. 1200-1391'. We are sorry to report the passing of Esmond Hawes of Frodsham, Cheshire on We welcome as new members: 3rd January 2010. Esmond joined the Dr Julia Boorman, B.A., Ph.D., 57 Windmill Society on its "revival" in 1934 and was a Avenue, Wokingham, Berkshire RG41 3XA. member for 75 years. He was an Dr Clive Burgess, c/o Department of History, extremely keen and valued supporter who Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, was appointed an Honorary Member in Surrey TW20 0EX. 1984 and held the distinction of being our Geoffrey Burgess, 9 Lindley Court, Glamorgan oldest member. We also record the death Road, Hampton Wick, Surrey KT1 4HU. of Peter Lambert of Bishop’s Castle, Dr Martin Heale, c/o School of History, Shropshire who joined the Society in 1968. University of Liverpool, 9 Abercromby Square, We send our condolences to family and Liverpool L69 7WZ. friends. Notes and Queries In his article ‘The Final Frontier’ (M.B.S. Bulletin, Brasses and incised slabs in St. Botolph’s 110, pp.194-6) and in his talk on German brasses a church, Boston, Lincolnshire: an appeal little while ago, Father Jerome Bertram referred to low-relief figure brasses; a characteristic one Following the highly successful M.B.S. Study Day (Henricus ?von Schmuckmurg, 1520, Zeitz R.C. held at Boston in May 2009, Sally Badham and Cathedral) is illustrated by chance on page 186 of Paul Cockerham are editing a volume to be the same issue of the Bulletin and more in the published by Archaeopress which will contain all previous number (M.B.S. Bulletin, 109, pp.168-9), the papers given. Those who attended will recall for which this illustration provides a correction. Derrick Chivers’s paper outlining inter alia the I have myself seen many such monuments in losses of indents and Flemish incised slabs which churches of Saxony and Bavaria, and no doubt occurred in the 1970s and 1980s.