All Saints, Brixworth: Largest Saxon Church In England.
All Saints, Brixworth is the largest and most complete Saxon church in England.
The present church dates from 750AD, more than 1,200 years ago, replacing an original wooden structure which served Medehampstead Abbey.
Notably, the church features one of only four Anglo-Saxon stair turrets that still exist in England.
In 1930, British architectural historian Sir Alfred Clapham called it "perhaps the most imposing architectural memorial of the 7th century yet surviving north of the Alps".
The earliest parts of this church date from AD675 - that is nine years after the Synod of Whitby established the Roman version of Christianity as that which would dominate the English church.
The exterior reveals impressive use of Roman building materials; slim bricks, stone and larger pieces of masonry apparently derived from Roman buildings in Leicester and Towcester.
The tower is especially impressive with an austere almost round staircase tower attached.
The lower section of the church is a mix of igneous rock from the Charnwood area, limestone from Towcester, and Roman brick, possibly from Leicester.
It’s said that Brixworth was a royal foundation, possibly a place known to us only as 'Clofesho', used for important church council gatherings in the 8th and 9th centuries.
There are several unique Saxon features - one of these is a ring crypt at the east end, surrounding the apse.
This ring crypt, in the shape of a stilted semi-circle, is one of only three such crypts in England, and probably served as an ambulatory for pilgrims.
Another unique feature is the external stair turret that climbs the west tower. This is one of only four such turrets in the country.
The interior has white painted walls which emphasise the scale of the Saxon stone arches.
In the 13th century a south aisle was added to the nave, a south chapel was added beside the presbytery and the apsidal chancel was replaced with a rectangular one.
In the 14th century the west tower was heightened again and the present broach spire was added.
Archaeological excavations have shown that the original church had side chambers, called porticus, that would have extended either side of the present nave.
At the position of the present tower was a narthex, and original pillars now covered by flooring show that there was a three-arched opening between the nave and the presbytery.
The original entrance was at the west end. In the Norman era the present south door was inserted in the westernmost arch of the south arcade.
The churchyard, meanwhile, contains the war graves of three British Army soldiers of World War 1 and a Royal Pioneer Corps officer of Word War 2.
It was designated as a Grade I listed building in 1954, making it of historic importance.
The church has lovely reviews, one recent visitor said: Absolutely remarkable and unique building - so glad we visited.
”Some places are special to the point of being life-enhancing and this is one of them that does it for me and I'm sure many others.”
Another person added: All saints church is somewhere everyone should visit on their trip to Northamptonshire or south Leicestershire.
”On a hill overlooking spectacular countryside is a magnificent example of the ingenuity of the Saxon builder enhanced by the Romans to provide a simple but magnificent visage to any visitor.”
The church is free to enter, but donations are always welcomed.
If you’d like to visit this church, the address is: Church Street, Brixworth, Northamptonshire, England.
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