Monumental brass depicting Elizabeth Alee, Dunstable Priory Church, Bedfordshire, 1518

Monumental brass depicting Elizabeth Alee.

Given by Arthur Binns

Gift from Arthur G Binns in 1922.

These brasses, from Dunstable Priory Church depict Robert Alee and his first wife Elizabeth in funeral shrouds. We know from an inscription and documents of Dunstable Church that Alee had brasses made of both his wives, (second wife was called Agnes) and his sons and daughters by both marriages. The brasses are dated in the inscription to 1518

Historical significance: Memorial brasses are important sources of information about clothing, armour, status and social aspirations as they are often accompanied by inscriptions, frequently found in place, and are some of the few examples of medieval art that are consistently dated. This one has been separated from its inscription, which remains in the Priory church of St Peter in Dunstable. It tells us the identity of the figures and the date the brasses were made.

Memorial brasses were made throughout Europe from the 13th until towards the end of the 17th century, and the practice was revived in the 19th century. Brasses were fitted onto the lids of tombs and memorial slabs to commemorate the lives of the deceased. Brass or latten (copper alloy) memorials were cheaper than stone memorials.

English brasses survive and were perhaps made in greater numbers than those from continental Europe. They commemorated a broader cross-section of society. Bishops, knights, esquires, merchants and prosperous farmers made up the clientele. The wealthiest ranks of society opted for more elaborate monuments. In continental Europe, however, brasses were commonly the preserve of the aristocracy.

The brass as a raw material was imported from continental Europe, especially Cologne and the Netherlands. By far the greatest number of brasses are found in the eastern counties, particularly Kent, Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk, close to ports with connections to Germany and the Netherlands. English brasses in the 13th and 14th centuries can be identified by the fact that the figure commemorated, and its accompanying inscription, is usually cut out to the outline whereas the Continental examples are more often engraved onto a plain rectangle.

from Dunstable Priory Church Bedfordshire

This brass, from Dunstable Priory church, depicts Elizabeth Alee in a funeral shroud. Like her husband Robert, she is shown as a naked corpse, but with her eyes open. This shows the moment just before the Last Judgement, when it was believed that the soul returned to the physical body. The images were intended as a reminder to viewers to pray for the souls of the dead couple.
We know from an inscription and documents about Dunstable church that Robert Alee had brasses made of both his wives, ( Elizabeth was his first wife, Agnes his second ) and his sons and daughters by both marriages. The brasses are dated in the inscription to 1518. Memorial brasses were made throughout Europe from the 13th until towards the end of the 17th century, and the practice was revived in the 19th century. Brasses were fitted onto the lids of tombs and memorial slabs to commemorate the lives of the deceased. Brass or latten (copper alloy) memorials were a cheaper alternative to memorials made of stone.

M.125-1922