Monumental brass is a species of engraved
sepulchral memorial which in the early part of the 13th century began to partially take the place of three-dimensional
monuments and
effigies carved in stone or wood. Made of hard
latten or sheet
brass, let into the pavement, and thus forming no obstruction in the space required for the services of the church, they speedily came into general use, and continued to be a favourite style of sepulchral memorial for three centuries.