All Saints' Church, Brixworth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids All Saints' Church, Brixworth |
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All Saints' parish church seen from the south
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| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Dedication | All Saints |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed |
| Designated | 2 November 1954 |
| Architectural type | basilica |
| Style | Anglo-Saxon Romanesque |
| Specifications | |
| Nave width | 30 feet (9 m) |
| Other dimensions | nave length 60 feet (18 m) presbytery 30 feet (9 m) × 30 feet (9 m) |
| Number of spires | 1 |
| Materials | stone |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Brixworth |
| Deanery | Brixworth |
| Archdeaconry | Northampton |
| Diocese | Peterborough |
| Province | Canterbury |
All Saints' Church, Brixworth is a very old church in Brixworth, Northamptonshire, England. It's one of the best examples of early Anglo-Saxon architecture still standing. This church is the largest in England that mostly looks like it did during the Anglo-Saxon times. It's considered a very important historic building, listed as Grade I since 1954.
Contents
A Look at the Church Building
The church building you see today started being built a very long time ago, around the late 700s or early 800s. It might have been started by King Offa or King Coenwulf of Mercia. Many parts from this original building are still visible. Over the years, more sections were added in the 900s, 1300s, and 1800s.
The church was built like an early Christian basilica. A basilica is a large hall with a central area and side aisles. Instead of round columns, this church uses strong square piers.
The main part of the original church that remains is the nave. This is the long central hall where people sit. It has a clerestory, which means there are windows high up to let in light. There were also arcades (rows of arches) on the north and south sides. These were later filled in with windows.
At the front of the church is the presbytery, which is the area near the altar. It's separated from the nave by a large arch. The church also had a semicircular apse at the very end, but this was later changed.
The tall tower at the west end of the church started as a two-story porch. In the 900s, it was made taller to become a tower.
Changes Over Time
In the 1200s, a side aisle was added to the south of the nave. A small chapel was also built next to the presbytery. The semicircular apse was replaced with a rectangular one.
In the 1300s, the west tower was made even taller. The pointed roof, called a broach spire, was added at this time.
Archaeologists have found that the original church had side rooms called porticus. These would have extended out from the sides of the nave. At the spot where the tower now stands, there was once a narthex, which was an entrance hall. Old pillars hidden under the floor show that there was a three-arched opening between the nave and the presbytery. The first main entrance was at the west end. Later, in the Norman period, the current south door was put in.
Roman Connections
The builders of All Saints' Church used stones and brick tiles from old Roman buildings. These materials likely came from Roman towns like Lactodurum (which is now Towcester) and Ratae Corieltauvorum (which is now Leicester). You can see Roman-sized brick tiles used in the arches of the church.
There was also a special walkway called an ambulatory that went around the outside of the original apse, below ground level. Steps led down to this walkway, which had a curved ceiling. This ambulatory was probably used to store or access important relics (holy objects).
The unusually large size of the church for its time might mean it was a meeting place for important church leaders. Some people think it could have been where church meetings called Clofesho took place in the 700s and 800s. However, we don't know for sure where Clofesho was located.
In the 900s, the tower and a special stair turret were built, replacing the narthex. This stair turret is very rare; it's one of only four Anglo-Saxon stair turrets still existing in England. It's similar to one at St Andrew's church in Brigstock, about 20 miles away.
High up on the west wall of the nave, a triple arch was added. These arches are supported by baluster shafts, which are short, thick pillars typical of Anglo-Saxon design. You can see similar ones at All Saints' Church, Earls Barton, about 8 miles from Brixworth. In the 1300s, the top parts of the tower and the spire were added.
The churchyard is also a resting place for three British Army soldiers from World War I and an officer from World War II.
Victorian Restoration
In 1865 and 1866, the church had major repair and restoration work done. This work involved removing parts of the medieval chancel and uncovering the old ambulatory that was below ground. Some parts of the church were changed to show off the older stonework. This restoration also added 247 new seats for people to use.
Church Bells
The west tower has a set of six bells that can be rung together in a special way called change ringing. Four of the bells were made in 1622 by Hugh Watts of Leicester. Another bell was made in 1683 by Henry Bagley. The newest bell was made in 1993 by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry.
Church Records
The church keeps records of important events like births, marriages, and deaths. These records for Brixworth go all the way back to 1546! They are stored at the Northamptonshire Record Office. A vicar named Rev James Jackson, who worked at the church from 1735 to 1770, created a special index of Brixworth families. This index includes lots of information about people who moved into or out of the village during the 1700s.
Benefice
Brixworth church is part of a group called a "united Benefice" with Holcot. This means they share a priest, but each village still has its own church building.
