St Laurence's at Bradford-on-Avon, St Michael's at Hildesheim and the Use of Squares in their Planning

Two early 11th-century churches, St Laurence's at Bradford-on-Avon and St Michael's at Hildesheim, employ squares in their architectural planning but with distinct approaches. St Laurence's dimensions are uniformly tied to two key lengths, while St Michael's west transept comprises three equal squares. The study proposes a novel explanation for the nave's unequal sections, challenging prior interpretations. This analysis underscores St Michael's potential as an early Romanesque prototype, bridging geometric precision and stylistic evolution.

Fernie, E. (2025). St Laurence’s at Bradford-on-Avon, St Michael’s at Hildesheim and the Use of Squares in their Planning. Romanesque and the Year 1000, 271–277. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003571476-19