The Saxon Church at Bradford-on-Avon. 375 



who was Bishop of Sherborne from 705 to 709, and to be one of 

 the earliest remains of Saxon architecture in England. We know, 

 however, that Bradford was destroyed by the Danes in the ninth 

 century; and recent investigation proves, as we shall see, that the 

 present building dates rather from the Restoration under Edgar 

 or Ethelred, in the later years of the tenth century. This does 

 not, however, destroy, but rather enhances, its interest; for 

 although we may not behold the actual fabric which Aldhelm 

 raised, yet it cannot but maintain its imperishable connection 

 with his name, and the building as it stands still remains a 

 precious example of what our Saxon forefathers could accomplish 

 in the best period of their art, before Norman influences had in- 

 vaded native inspiration derived from other sources. 



It is William of Malmesbury who, in his " Life of St. Aldhelm," 

 connects him with Bradford, for he tells us that the West Saxon 

 Bishop was "generally supposed to have built a monastery at 

 Bradford"; and adds, "To this day (1125) at that place there 

 exists a little Church,^ which he is said to have built in honour of 

 the blessed St. Lawrence." ^ 



Is this the Church within whose walls we are now standing, or 

 is it indeed a later restoration ? 



The whole subject of Anglo-Saxon architecture is involved in 

 the answer to this question; and although I shall not pretend to 

 do more than make use of the researches of another, it will not be 

 without all due gratitude and acknowledgment; and the further 

 remark that, so far as my own personal observation goes — and it 

 has not been slight — it entirely bears out the conclusions arrived 

 at, as the lesult of the researches to which I refer. 



It was in 1858 that our Bradford-on-Avon Church was dis- 

 covered, and in the course- of the following years it was gradually 

 rescued from the mass of surrounding buildings, the chancel being 



' Ecclesiola. 

 ■ Dr. Browne, Bishop of Bristol, in his Life of St. Aldhelm, published by 

 the Christian Knowledge Societj', after quoting William of Malmesbury, as 

 above, merely adds in a note : — " This ecclesiola is almost certainly still 

 standing at Bradford-on-Avon." 



