About an hours drive from where I live stands #StMarytheVirginChurch in Elsing. The church is a 14th-century structure and was built at the behest of #SirHughHastings. The church has a number of features that make it a standout. The church has no aisles. It has a single span roof, which stretches over 12 meters. The broadest in East Anglia and one of the biggest in England. There remains fragments of the stained glass that once filled the windows and a magnificent font, but we have come to look at a brass – that of Sir Hugh Hastings.

This brass is considered one of the best examples of church brasses in England. We see Sir Hugh born by angels to heaven while mourners, 7 in total, line either side of his effigy (one is missing in this engraving but has been replaced)

On Sir Hugh’s right, the mourners are King Edward III, Thomas Beauchamp – Earl of Warwick, missing Sir Hugh le Despenser, and Sir John Grey of Ruthin.

To Sir Hugh’s left, we find – Henry (Plantagenet) 4th Earl of Lancaster, Lawrence Hastings, Earl of Pembroke,
Ralph Stafford, Lord Stafford, and
Almeric, Lord St. Armand.

Towards the top of this wonderful lifesize brass, we see St George and further yet Mary being crowned Queen of Heaven and Christ enthroned on high. A magnificent brass.

The engraving (on laid paper) was created in 1782 for publisher #JohnCarter of Wool Street, Westminster, and bears a J Whatman watermark. A fine engraving to add to my collection.