DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6914#0193
BRIXWORTH CHURCH. 161
^e fourth century ; and others were present at the Councils of Sardica and Ari-
^^ium, in the same century.10 These facts, and others which could be adduced,
efficiently snew that there must have been established churches in Britain. Gildas,
^ho wrote in the beginning of the sixth century, says, that after the persecution of
^ l°clesian, " the Britons renovated their churches, which had been levelled with
e ground :—they founded, they constructed, they completed, and produced, as
l0phies of victory, the basilics of holy martyrs." "
This statement coincides with the assertion of Matthew of Westminster, that
^within ten years after the suffering of St. Alban, the proto-martyr of England, a
asilic in honour of him was constructed."12 And the earlier authority of Bede is
more decisive, who says that at Verulam,—" Peace being restored to the Chris-
tens, a church of wonderful workmanship, worthy of his [St. Alban's] martyrdom,
Was erected."13 The monkish historians of Winchester describe still more distinctly
e ''e-edification of the Cathedral church in that city, at the same period.14
Since therefore many buildings appropriated for Christian worship were raised in
ltairj, while it was under the dominion of the Romans, there is not the least im-
probability in the supposition that a Roman church might have been erected at
•iXworth. The vicinity still retains traces of ancient military works. North of
^e church there is a tumulus and indications of entrenchments of a square form,
ut now nearly levelled ; and within the churchyard, to the south-east, extensive
°undations of walls have been discovered.
The striking similarity in materials and workmanship which the arches in this church
ear to those in the Jewry Wall, at Leicester, an acknowledged Roman work; to others
Iri the Pharos, and adjoining church at Dover, and to various other Roman remains,
^ay be considered as affording the strongest presumptive evidence that it ought to be
assed among the few specimens of Roman architecture which this island contains,
^e accompanying Plate shews the north side of the building, A : a plan at B,
°n the north side of which is represented the position of an ancient wall, which
Constituted the side of an aisle. It has been taken down for ages, but its foun-
10 T>
"urgess's " First Seven Epochs of the Ancient British Church," p. 7.
Pe fi . °vant Ecclesias ad solum usque destructas ; Basilicas sanctorum Martyrum fundant, constmunt,
^c'unt, ac velut victricia signa passim propalant. Gildae Epist.
i+ Matth. Florileg. Histor. ad ann. Chr. 313. " Bedaj Hist. Eccles. lib. i. cap. 7.
v'd. Th. Rudborn. Maj. Oh ron. lib. i. cap. 6 ; et Wintoniens. Eccles. Historiol. cap. 7 et 8, ap. Ua-
tr" Britan. Eccles. Antiq. p. 104, 2nd Ed. 1687.
^e fourth century ; and others were present at the Councils of Sardica and Ari-
^^ium, in the same century.10 These facts, and others which could be adduced,
efficiently snew that there must have been established churches in Britain. Gildas,
^ho wrote in the beginning of the sixth century, says, that after the persecution of
^ l°clesian, " the Britons renovated their churches, which had been levelled with
e ground :—they founded, they constructed, they completed, and produced, as
l0phies of victory, the basilics of holy martyrs." "
This statement coincides with the assertion of Matthew of Westminster, that
^within ten years after the suffering of St. Alban, the proto-martyr of England, a
asilic in honour of him was constructed."12 And the earlier authority of Bede is
more decisive, who says that at Verulam,—" Peace being restored to the Chris-
tens, a church of wonderful workmanship, worthy of his [St. Alban's] martyrdom,
Was erected."13 The monkish historians of Winchester describe still more distinctly
e ''e-edification of the Cathedral church in that city, at the same period.14
Since therefore many buildings appropriated for Christian worship were raised in
ltairj, while it was under the dominion of the Romans, there is not the least im-
probability in the supposition that a Roman church might have been erected at
•iXworth. The vicinity still retains traces of ancient military works. North of
^e church there is a tumulus and indications of entrenchments of a square form,
ut now nearly levelled ; and within the churchyard, to the south-east, extensive
°undations of walls have been discovered.
The striking similarity in materials and workmanship which the arches in this church
ear to those in the Jewry Wall, at Leicester, an acknowledged Roman work; to others
Iri the Pharos, and adjoining church at Dover, and to various other Roman remains,
^ay be considered as affording the strongest presumptive evidence that it ought to be
assed among the few specimens of Roman architecture which this island contains,
^e accompanying Plate shews the north side of the building, A : a plan at B,
°n the north side of which is represented the position of an ancient wall, which
Constituted the side of an aisle. It has been taken down for ages, but its foun-
10 T>
"urgess's " First Seven Epochs of the Ancient British Church," p. 7.
Pe fi . °vant Ecclesias ad solum usque destructas ; Basilicas sanctorum Martyrum fundant, constmunt,
^c'unt, ac velut victricia signa passim propalant. Gildae Epist.
i+ Matth. Florileg. Histor. ad ann. Chr. 313. " Bedaj Hist. Eccles. lib. i. cap. 7.
v'd. Th. Rudborn. Maj. Oh ron. lib. i. cap. 6 ; et Wintoniens. Eccles. Historiol. cap. 7 et 8, ap. Ua-
tr" Britan. Eccles. Antiq. p. 104, 2nd Ed. 1687.