The Saxon Church at Bradford-on-Avon. 383 



"We thus obtain a useful line of demarcation between late and 

 early Saxon buildings. Those in which appear the features just 

 discussed are comparatively late ; while absence of these features, 

 combined with positive indications of early date, suffice for the 

 attribution of an example of the pre-Danish epoch." 



Once more, we notice the great height of the nave walls at 

 Bradford. " This is a peculiarity found neither in the basilicas of 

 Romanesque lands, nor in the Celtic oratories, but came into vogue 

 in parts of the Continent, as well as in England, in the times of 

 unrest and danger which fell upon Christendom when the Vikings 

 forced their keels up the rivers of Western and Central Europe. 

 Lofty walls and small apertures high up in them were a means of 

 protection against raiders." 



This is the explanation of this feature at Monkwearmouth, which 

 otherwise belongs undoubtedly to Class A, and suggests a re-building 

 of Benedict's original structure before 867. Tims the height of 

 the walls, apart from every other consideration, is against an early 

 date. 



The rectangular chancel, whether it be a natural growth or an 

 importation from Ireland, is no criterion of date or period, as it 

 occurs equally in early Escomb and in late Eepton and Boarhurst. 

 We see it here, and taking the comparatively few Saxon Churches 

 of which the eastern termination is assured, we can count a score 

 of square ends to set against ten apses, and probably the square- 

 ended chancels outnumbered the apsidal ones many times over.^ 



' " The ten Saxon apsidal-ended chancels are : Lyminge, Eeculver, St. 

 Peter-on-the-Wall, Deerhurst, and Worth — semi-circular ; Rochester, Lindis- 

 fame, and probably St. Pancras — semi-elliptical ; Brixworth, rounded in- 

 ternally, but exterior polygonal ; Wing, polygonal, inside and out." — Op. cit., 

 p. 118. 



"The apse, derived from Celtic originals, remains throughout the whole 

 history of ecclesiastical architecture, and is to-day the normal form for the 

 chapels of mansions or institutions." — lb., p. 279. 



"The twenty square-ended chancels are: Barton-on-Humber, Barrow, 

 Boarhurst, Bradford-on-Avon, Breamore, North Burcombe, Coin Eogers, 

 Daglingworth, Deerhurst Chapel, Dover, Escomb, Heysham Chapel, Kirk 

 Hammerton, Eepton, Sidbury, Tichborne, Wareham, Weybourn, Whitfield, 

 Wittering."— /J., p. 281, 



