Decorative plaque

A decorated sheet of copper, found outside the reredorter, showing a traditional representation of St Luke as a winged bull, the plaque was attached to a wooden altar cross. Each altar at Battle would have had its own crucifix, and the use of copper rather than a more precious metal suggests that this probably came from a minor one.

Elements of the design, such as the shape of the foliage, suggest that this object was made in about 1300. The decorative technique vernis brun was used to create the design. The process involves engraving, oiling, heating and scraping to produce a surface that gilding would adhere to.