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The Grade I listed Link church of All Saints in the Northamptonshire village of Brixworth is one of the most remarkable surviving buildings from the early Anglo-Saxon period, indeed John Betjeman (1906–84) said it was "probably the most impressive early Saxon building in the country" and Sir Alfred Clapham (1883–1950 - Secretary of the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England) and President of the Society of Antiquaries) possibly went further saying it is "perhaps the most imposing architectural memorial of the seventh century surviving north of the Alps"
It was founded around 675/680AD and much remains from the C7th and C8th although it has had modifications in the C10th (still Saxon), C13th, C14th and C19th.
Fortunately the Victorian refurbishment was more sympathetic than sometimes occurred in that period, largely concentrating on revealing the earliest masonry.
A considerable amount of the 'Saxon' fabric actually originates even before that early period - being re-used Roman tiles and stone. The most noticeable of these Roman-Saxon features are the arches above the (much more recent) windows along both sides of the nave which are made from recycled red Roman clay tiles.
The outer stone of the church is predominantly Ironstone Link with its characteristic dark brown coloration.
Remarkably this church would have been around twice as large when originally built as each of the aforementioned arches would have led to a 'porticus' or separate room - four or five on each side of the nave - the westernmost on the southern side perhaps being a porch, though the main entrance to the church up until the C10th was from the west through the narthex (two-storey entry porch). At the time it formed the basilica of Brixworth Monastery - but this was devastated by a Danish ("Viking") raid of 876AD. These porticūs were removed many centuries ago, perhaps in the C10th when the remaining building became the parish church for the village and the tower was raised above the C8th narthex and the semicircular stair turret was added; or perhaps in the C13th/14th when major alterations were made such as the addition of the broach spire.
The apsidal eastern end of the church has semicircular foundations from the early period and had a sunken ambulatory to its east, perhaps containing a sacred relic (the throat-bone of St Boniface, evangelizer and patron saint of Germany). At some point this apsidal sanctuary was remodelled in polygonal form and then was completely rebuilt by the Victorians to its original design though without the covered ambulatory which now forms a sunken, walled semicircle to the east of the apse.
There are a host of Saxon remnants within the church particularly the nave arches mentioned above and a later (but still Saxon) three-lancet window half-way up the western wall which cuts through an earlier Saxon arch top. There are numerous blocked former doorways which retain their capping arch set into the plasterwork. There is also a carved stone eagle which is thought to be C8th Saxon representing St John's emblem, though other sources suggest it may be Roman in origin. This is displayed behind glass in the south entrance.

Dating as it does from the C7th, the church is 1300 years old - something like 50 generations have used it as a place of worship, making it one of the oldest buildings in the country that is still in use and what is more, used for its original purpose.
When it was founded, England was not a united country, but rather was split into a number of kingdoms (each with its own titular head or 'king'). During this period there was often a 'Bretwalda' - a kind of over-king to whom the others deferred. Brixworth lay in the kingdom of Mercia, whose king at the time was Æthelred I (reigned 675–704 (abdicated), died at Bardney Monastery 716), who was himself the most powerful ruler in England. Although the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle does not name him as Bretwalda, it likewise does not accord that distinction to *any* king of Mercia, perhaps because it was commissioned by the kings of Wessex!
Æthelred was the son of the great pagan Mercian king Penda (reigned 626–655) who had raised Mercia to be the most powerful kingdom. Æthelred's brother Wulfhere who reigned immediately before him (658–675) was the first Christian king of Mercia and all future kings were likewise Christians and often keen supporters of monasteries and churches. It is thought that Offa the Great (reigned in Mercia 757–796, and another effective Bretwalda) gifted the relic of St Boniface to Brixworth - it is known that he gave a finger bone of the same saint to Westminster Abbey.

Wikipedia links:
The church: Link
Narthex: Link
Ambulatory: Link
Sanctuary: Link
Apse: Link
Æthelred I of Mercia: Link
Mercia: Link
Bretwalda: Link

Created: Tue, 4 Apr 2023, Updated: Sun, 27 Jul 2025