en
revived in the noble modern basilica at Munich.

[Illustration: FIG. 21.--Plan of early Christian Basilica of about the 4th
century at Silchester, Hants.

(From _Archaeologia_, liii.)]

England can show more early Christian survivals than France or Germany. In
the course of the excavation of the Roman city of Silchester, there was
brought to light in 1892 the remains of a small early Christian basilica
dating from the 4th century of which fig. 21 gives the plan
(_Archaeologia_, vol. liii.). It will be [v.03 p.0477] noted that the apse
is flanked by two chambers, of the nature of sacristies, cut off from the
rest of the church, and known in ecclesiastical terminology as _prothesis_
and _diaconicon_. These features, rare in Italy, are almost universal in
the churches of North Africa and Syria. Another existing English basilica
of early date is that of Brixworth in Northamptonshire, probably erected by
Saxulphus, abbot of Peterborough, _c._ A.D. 680. It consisted of a nave
divided from its aisles by quadrangular piers supporting arches turned in
Roman brick, with clerestory windows above, and a short chancel terminating
in an apse, outside which, as at St Peter's at Rome, ran a circumscribing
crypt entered by steps from the chancel. At the west end was a square
porch, the walls of which were carried up later in the form of a tower.

[Illustration: FIG. 22.--Ground-Plan of the original Cathedral at
Canterbury, as restored by Willis.

A, High altar. B, Altar of our Lord. C, C, Steps to crypt. D, Crypt. E, F,
Chorus cantorum. G, Our Lady's altar. H, Bishop's throne. K, South porch
with altar. L, North porch containing school. M, Archbishop Odo's tomb.]

The first church built in England under Roman influence was the original
Saxon cathedral of Canterbury. From the annexed ground-plan (fig. 22), as
conjecturally restored from Eadmer's description, we see that it was an
aisled basilica, with an apse at either end, containing altars standing on
raised platforms approached by steps. Beneath the eastern platform was a
crypt, or _confessio_, containing relics, "fabricated in the likeness of
the confessionary of St Peter at Rome" (Eadmer). The western apse,
dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, contained the bishop's throne. From this
and other indications Willis thinks that this was the original altar end,
the eastern apse being a subsequent addition of Archbishop Odo, _c._ 950,
the church having been thus turned from west to ea