The Saxon Church at Bradford-on-Avon. 381 



to exhibit. The stones were cut after they were placed in position, 

 but the architect or master-builder intended the Church to exhibit 

 the appearance which it actually does. It is a portion of the 

 original scheme, not an after-thought ; (3) the extremely low and 

 small chancel arch ; ^ and (4) the angel figures bearing scrolls, 

 which may be considered by themselves. We also note that the 

 nave is as higli as it is long, and nearly twice as high as it is broad. 



If we ask ourselves now what are the characteristic features of 

 Churches l)elonging to Class A, i.e., Churches which may be un- 

 doubtedly assigned to the period 600 to 800, from the fact that, as 

 in the case of Jarrow and Wearmouth, we know from contemporary 

 evidence that they were built in that period, the question is not 

 as easy of answer as might at first sight be thought ; because, as 

 our author says, there is no use in arguing in a circle, and saying, 

 for example, that x is early because y is not to be found in it ; or y 

 late because it does not appear in x ; but there are certain broad 

 features which help us to a decision.^ 



The characteristics of Class A, e.g., St. Martin and St. Pancras, 

 Canterbury ; Eochester, Lyminge, Eeculver, Brixworth, Eipon and 

 Hexham crypts, Escomb, Monkwearmouth, and Jarrow, are thus 

 described by Professor Baldwin Brown : — 



' " It is a characteristic of English architecture through the whole mediaeval 

 period, that even in edifices of great importance vault-construction is rather 

 avoided than favoured ; as an example of this we may take Durham. 

 Among all the numerous specimens of pre-Conquest architecture there is 

 only one that exhibits a vault in any other position than as a crypt. In 

 arch construction there is the same deficiency, for though there are well- 

 constructed Saxon arches — Barnack, Worth, Wittering — yet as a rule the 

 openings of Saxon doorways and chancel and tower arches tend to narrowness, 

 and at Bradford-on-Avon the chancel-arch is only 3ft. 6in. in width, and one 

 of the principal doorways a little over 2ft. ; while we find again and again 

 examples of faultily-cut voussoirs {e.g., the tower-arch at Bosham), which 

 shows that the elementary principle of the radiating joint was by no means 

 universally apprehended among Saxon builders." — Op. cit., p. 127. 



- " Bradford-on-Avon appears in general character a singularly early 

 Church, but when we observe its double-splayed windows, reckon up its 

 pilaster-strips, and note the curious resemblance of its external arcading to 

 that in the interior of the very late Saxon Church at Dunham Magna, in 

 Norfolk, we begin to distrust the impression of great antiquity." — Op. cit., 

 pp. 73, 74. 



