A Gazetteer of Anglo-Saxon and “Overlap” Churches around Oxford
Archaeology
N.B. A new a greatly expanded version of this has been uploaded in January 2014. Please use the Gazetteer V.2, and the new zipped archive of all images (V. 2).
This is a guide to churches within a “day-trip” of Oxford which have been authoritatively reported as having structural remains of Anglo-Saxon date or, at least, of very early post Conquest date in the Anglo-Saxon manner. Churches are not included if they only have, for example, a carved cross which is not in situ. It is hoped that the guide will widen the horizons of people interested in such churches but with limited opportunities to travel the length of the country to visit the relatively complete and well known churches. If you plan a tour of several churches, it is wise to top-mark all those in an area of interest on a road-map so that you cover adjacent counties.
This introduction is the first of four text files. The second is gazetteer which comprises brief details of the churches arranged alphabetically by county and alphabetically within each county.
Each “article” is headed by place name, dedication, the Period Code (see later), a map reference and brief directions. Many articles then say “See photofile” with a coded reference (See later). If there is no reference to “photofile”, I have not visited the church. At the end of most articles there are “refs” to the sources of my information in coded form. These are listed alphabetically in the fourth text file, giving details of the sources. In the gazetteer abbreviations have been used; N,S,E and W for the compass points and AS for Anglo-Saxon.
The Period Code
This is a system devised early last century and widely used since. Anglo-Saxon churches are difficult to date accurately and the codes give an approximate range.
The codes and dates are as follows:
A1 = 600 – 650 A2 = 650 – 700 A3 = 700 – 800 From Augustine’s mission to the major Viking raids.
B1 = 800 – 850 B2 = 850 – 900 B3 = 900 – 950 The period of the Viking invasions.
C1 = 950 – 1000 C2 = 1000 -1050 C3 = 1050 -1100 From the Monastic Revival through the “Overlap” with Norman influence.
The Photofile codes
These codes in the gazetteer text direct you to the photofile index (the third icon of the four) where is found against each code the place and brief details of the church. The codes are in alphanumeric order and the alpha indicates the county.
Below the four icons indicating text files are pictures of churches identified by the photofile codes. Each can be “downloaded” as a file in an enlarged format
David Prince
Contributor's own images
English
Alfred Jewel
Archaeology
The Alfred Jewel, possibly the handle of an aestel, is held in the Ashmolean Museum. Its motto reads (in modern English) "Alfred ordered me to be made". Discovered in the 17th century, it is believed to have been made in the 9th, probably in Wessex.
Jonathan Dore
Contributor's own image
9th century AD
All Saints' Church, Sinnington, North Yorkshire
Archaeology
The present church of All Saint's in Sinnington is mostly a late Norman building, but numerous fragments of Anglo-Saxon and Norse sculpture work are preserved in the fabric of the church, clearly implying that its origins are much earlier. I believe that the door on the west end of the nave it probably late Saxon, which implies that part of the building is probably pre-Norman. Its location, situated on top of a prominent hill overlooking the village of Sinnington may further suggest its early origins.
Kelly A. Kilpatrick
Contributor's own image
Anglo-Saxon
English
Anglo Saxon Architecture
Architecture
Part of an evolving web site covering Anglo-Saxon church architecture from the end of the Roman period to the Conquest, this table is part of my web site and is based on information, extracted by me, contained in H.Taylor's three volumes, 'Anglo-Saxon Architecture'.
Frank Parsons
Contributor's own resource
English
Anglo Saxon Coins and "Chinese Whispers"
Numismatics
It may be hard to believe, but the design of the central and right-hand coins is based on the Antoninianus (left). It seems that Anglo Saxon coiners had the difficult job of making copies of Roman coins with no access to the originals. They repeatedly copied images and writing that probably made little sense: a kind of numismatic "Chinese Whispers"!
What fascinates me as a painter is that I use exactly the same process to refine and abstract an image. Most coins were created by bashing a metal disc with a steel mould, called a "die" and it was this that had to be engraved, not the coin. No wonder distortions occurred; those coiners were trying to copy a mysterious profile head and illegible Latin inscription onto a tiny steel disc, in reverse!
Each punched hollow in the die forms a little bead-like shape, called a "pellet". There's a chain of them forming the mouth on the right hand penny. Even though these silver pennies are cruder in execution, repeated copying has strengthened their composition. Look at the meandering, weak shape between the profile and lettering of the Antoninianus. Compare this with the integration of the profile and lettering on the two pennies.
John Hicks, artist and lecturer
Contributor's own resource
Coins dating from AD293 to AD679
English
Anglo Saxon window in St. Paul's church, Jarrow
Architecture
Photograph of an Anglo Saxon window in St. Paul's church, Jarrow.
Jane McCard
Contributor's own image
600-700
Anglo-Saxon Architecture (iii)
Architecture
Part of an ongoing web site upon the subject of Anglo-Saxon church architecture.
This is an archived collection of files from Frank Parsons' site, located at http://www.anglo-saxon-churches.co.uk/ . For full access, please visit the site online if possible. Mr Parsons' large collection of PDF files are also available separately on the Project. Please note that these are zipped folders: in order to read the contents, you will need to right-click on each folder after downloading and select 'Extract all'."
Frank Parsons
Contributor's own images
English
Anglo-Saxon Architecture (iv)
Architecture
Part of an ongoing web site dedicated to Anglo-Saxon church architecture.
This is an archived collection of files from Frank Parsons' site, located at http://www.anglo-saxon-churches.co.uk/ . For full access, please visit the site online if possible. Mr Parsons' large collection of PDF files are also available separately on the Project. Please note that these are zipped folders: in order to read the contents, you will need to right-click on each folder after downloading and select 'Extract all'."
Frank Parsons
Contributor's own images
English
Bead/Pendant
Archaeology
Ashmolean Museum inventory no. AN1909.517. c. 550-650. Gold, garnet, glass. Pendant, elongated decahedron, decorated with beaded gold wire, cloisonné work and inlaid with blue glass and garnet. Discovered Forest Gate, Essex.
Ashmolean Museum
550-650
Bird brooch
Art history
CANCM:7523 - Bird brooch, silver gilt, garnet inset in eye and tail;
niello inlay. (Accessions register states: "Objects
from this grave
disturbed before excavation and recorded from spoil
heap by Mr. Jarvis and
his wife").
Found Bekesbourne,
Kent by Mr. F. Jenkins, in grave 30 of the Anglo-Saxon cemetery.
Acquired from Mr. P.G. Wilson, (Boundary Cottage, Bekesbourne).
All images © Canterbury City Museums.
Canterbury City Museums
Canterbury City Museums