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There is only one brass in Grays Parish
Church and it commemorates a man who was probably a
prominent citizen of the town who lived c. 1520 AD. The
brass originally lay in the nave and consisted of the
civilian, his two wives, one son and six daughters plus
the inscription (Fig.l.) Now it is fixed to the south
wall of the chancel and only the wives and daughters
remain (Fig.2)
In 1861, the effigy of the civilian, 33.7cm high, was
still in place although the son and the inscription had
gone, but by 1892, when a rubbing was taken by the Essex
Archaeological Society, the civilian too had been lost.
This unknown citizen was depicted wearing a long, loose,
fur-trimmed gown and had hair almost to his shoulders.
His wives 33cm high, one on each side and half-turned
towards him, are dressed alike, each in a long gown with
close fitting sleeves and cuffs of what appears to be fur.
The robe is held at the waist by a long embroidered
girdle, which hangs to the ground. Their head-dresses are
the pedimental style typical of the period. The six
girls, 14.6cms high, are attired in long gowns, their
hair is loose down their backs, a sign that they were
unmarried. All the effigies are in the attitude of prayer.
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Fig. 1
Fig. 2
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