traces of a crypt bring it into
relation, not merely with Hexham or Ripon, but with the historical
church plan of western Europe generally. At the same time, the plan,
regarded as that of an English church, is exceptional. The aisled plan
of the parish church was arrived at in spite, not in consequence, of the
few early aisled churches which might have supplied it with a model.
During the epoch which followed the Danish invasions the aisleless plan
was deliberately preferred: the rectangular chancel entirely superseded
the apse. No further example of the structural screen-wall occurs. In
addition to those mentioned, only three more pre-Conquest examples of
crypts are known, and such crypts as occur in parish churches after the
Conquest are exceptional, and are usually due to exigencies of site.
Only three more aisled churches of unquestionably pre-Conquest date
exist above ground. Reculver has been mentioned. The others are Lydd in
Kent, where only indications of an arcade remain, and the complete
basilican church of Wing, near Leighton Buzzard, which has a polygonal
apse with a crypt below. Wing is probably much later in date than most
of Brixworth, but one cannot but be struck by a certain resemblance in
construction between the two naves, and in plan between the crypt at
Wing and the remains of the crypt at Brixworth.

Sec. 17. These early churches have been treated at some length, because
they contain certain essential elements of planning in a state of
probation. The basilican plan was doubtless the ideal of English
builders during the sixth and early seventh centuries, but an ideal
which was hard to compass where good building material was not
plentiful. Thus Augustine and his companions contented themselves in
most instances with a plan which recalled the aisled basilica, without
following out its more elaborate details. It is remarkable that they
should have departed from the usual Roman custom, and made their
chancels at the east end of their churches: it is also remarkable to
find at St Pancras the western porch, the origin of which appears to be
the non-Roman _narthex_. Models existed, no doubt in the ruins of the
Romano-British churches, which they repaired; and we have seen that at
Silchester there is a regular _narthex_, while, on the other hand,
there is a western apse. These models, however, were probably all of one
general type, in which the chancel end was formed by an apsidal
projection. When Roman Ch