A compliant spacer which, in use, is located between planar surfaces of two machine elements which are, in use, clamped together in an assembly, the spacer having a first generally planar face and a second oppositely facing generally planar face which is generally parallel to the first generally planar face, each of the first and second generally planar faces having a plurality of raised regions, the raised regions of the first face being offset with respect to the raised regions of the second face, so that as the two machine elements are clamped together with the spacer therebetween, the spacer deforms out of plane to maintain the clamping load in use, and each raised region including a bearing surface and edge regions where the raised region joins the respective planar face of the spacer, the bearing surface being generally planar and parallel to the first and second planar faces, and the edge regions of the raised regions melding smoothly into the respective planar face of the spacer without any sharp discontinuity.