Engraved memorial plates set into floors or walls provide some of the most detailed surviving images of medieval patrons. Dating largely from the C14 to the C16, these brasses depict FIGURES of knights, clergy, or wealthy parishioners, often accompanied by heraldic devices. Their linear engraving style echoes the graphic qualities of STAINED GLASS and complements the sculptural presence of MONUMENT. Many were originally set into patterned TILES, creating richly textured memorial settings.

Their survival through periods of iconoclasm is notable. While WALL PAINTINGS and ROOD SCREEN suffered during the TUDOR and C16 Reformation, many brasses remained intact, though some were damaged or removed. Their heraldic imagery links them visually to later HATCHMENT and ROYAL ARMS, forming part of a continuous commemorative tradition. As records of costume, armour, and social identity, they remain invaluable to the study of medieval and early modern parish life.