Brixworth and the English Basilica
Edward M. Gilbert
Brixworth church, of which the original dedication is lost, lies a few miles north Northampton in center old Anglo-Saxon kingdom Mercia, it one greatest ornaments. It least local and most international early English churches, every respect important Saxon churches extant, both itself its bearings on Continental work, being fact perfectly preserved example church classical revival Middle Ages. Indeed not far from entire European late eighth ninth centuries. seems likely moreover that antedates any survivors. As evidence nature drift has been surprisingly neglected by critics. we shall see, inspiration does come Italy, but East. represents based what may be called “Syrian” influences, using term as generic for all Eastern types, rather than Italian influences. no accident when Clapham wanted historical he chose Kalb Lauzeh Syria.1 The probable date traditional seventh century, about middle eighth, reasons are fully given below. should therefore contemporary with Fulrad's Saint-Denis, still somewhat pre-Carolingian. would seem that, pari passu revival, there went Syrian or else character Carolingian renaissance over-stressed. This kind question raises to demands an answer, yet given.
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