About the BRF Collection
The Byzantine Research Fund Archive (BRF) is a unique collection of architectural drawings, photographs and notebooks created from the late 19th century to the middle of the 20th century by a small team of British architects trained in the Arts & Crafts tradition whose studies of Byzantium shaped the Byzantine Revival in later years.
The collection contains over 1,500 drawings and 1,000 photographs, numerous notebooks and the corporate records associated with the Byzantine Research and Publication Fund, the original body created in 1907 to support this work. Although the Fund was associated with the BSA from the time it was founded, it was not until 1937 that the BSA formerly took over the property and operation of it. The BRF Archive contains records of Byzantine monuments in Greece, Turkey, Italy, the Near East, Egypt, and Cyprus. In some cases, the collection contains the only record of a monument before its destruction in modern times, the most important example being the church of Hagios Demetrios in Thessalonike which was almost completely destroyed in the Great Fire of 1917 shortly after being recorded by one of the BRF architects, Walter Sykes George. It also contains personal records of the following architects; Robert Weir Schultz, Sidney Howard Barnsley, Walter Sykes George, William Harvey, Harold Swainson, Peter Gus Corbett, and A.H.S (Peter) Megaw. The aspirations of the BRF Archive Project today are to make these materials accessible to a wide range of researchers.
South walls looking north-west. The Armenian convent. The photograph is annotated and dated in ink at the back: 'BASILICA BETHLEHEM. S. WALLS OF NAVE. ARMENIAN CONVENT + VILLAGE'. Further annotation in pencil survives. See also photos nos. 02/13/20/02 (BRF no 02/03/01/17) and 02/13/20/04 (BRF no 02/03/01/019).
South walls looking north-west. The Armenian convent. The photograph is annotated in pencil at the back. See also photos nos. 02/13/20/03 (BRF no 02/03/01/18) and 02/13/20/02 (BRF no 02/03/01/017).
South wall of nave aisle. The photograph is annotated in pencil at the back. See also photo no. 02/13/21/02 (BRF no 02/03/01/21)
South wall of nave aisle. The photograph is annotated and dated in ink at the back: 'S. SIDE OF NAVE OF BASILICA BETHLEHEM SHEWING OUTSIDE OF WALL + LINTOLS OF BLOCKED VP WINDOWS. 1908'. Further anotation in pencil survives. See also photo no. 02/13/21/01 (BRF no 02/03/01/20)
Upper part south apse and gable. The photograph is annotated in pencil at the back.
Portion of south wall and apse (the junction). The photograph is partly inked. Probably it was used for the proofs of the book. See also photos nos. 02/13/22/01 (BRF no 02/03/01/024) and 02/13/22/02 (BRF no 02/03/01/025).
Portion of south wall and apse (the junction). The photograph is annotated in pencil at the back. See also photos nos. 02/13/21/04 (BRF no 02/03/01/23) and 02/13/22/02 (BRF no 02/03/01/025).
Portion of south wall and apse (the junction). The photograph is annotated and dated in ink at the back: 'JUNCTION OF S. APSE WITH NAVE WALL. BETHLEHEM. 1908'. Further annotation in pencil survives. See also photos nos. 02/13/21/04 (BRF no 02/03/01/23) and 02/13/22/01 (BRF no 02/03/01/024).
South aisle wall looking east. The photograph is annotated in pencil at the back. See also photos nos. 02/13/22/04 (BRF no 02/03/01/27) and 02/13/23/01 (BRF no 02/03/01/028).
South aisle wall looking east. The photograph is annotated in pencil at the back. See also photos nos. 02/13/22/03 (BRF no 02/03/01/26) and 02/13/23/01 (BRF no 02/03/01/028).
South aisle wall looking east. The photograph is annotated and dated in ink at the back: 'S. APSE + GREEK CONVENT BETHLEHEM. 1909'. Futher annotation in pencil survives. See also photos nos. 02/13/22/03 (BRF no 02/03/01/26) and 02/13/22/04 (BRF no 02/03/01/027).
Junction, South wall of the basilica - Crusader (?) masonry. The photograph is annotated in ink at the back: 'OLD (CRUSADER?) MASONRY IN GREEK CONVT. BETHLEHEM'. See also photos nos. 02/13/23/03 (BRFno. 02/03/01/030) and 02/13/23/04 (BRFno. 02/03/01/031).
Junction, South wall of the basilica - Crusader (?) masonry. The photograph is annotated in pencil at the back: 'Greek Convent. S. Transept'. See also photos nos. 02/13/23/02 (BRFno. 02/03/01/029) and 02/13/23/04 (BRFno. 02/03/01/031).
Junction, South wall of the basilica - Crusader (?) masonry. See also photos nos. 02/13/23/03 (BRFno. 02/03/01/020) and 02/13/23/02 (BRFno. 02/03/01/029).
South aisle wall (the junction). The photograph is annotated and dated in ink at the back: 'JUNCTION OF GREEK CONVENT WITH S. WALL OF THE BASILICA BETHLEHEM. 1908'. Further annotation in pencil survives. See also photo no. 02/13/24/02 (BRFno.02/03/01/33).
North side looking south-east. The photograph is annotated in pencil at the back.
Interior view of the north apse from the south (closer view). The photograph is annotated in pencil at the back. See also photos nos 02/13/28/01 (BRFno 02/03/01/48) and 02/13/28/03 (BRFno 02/03/01/51).
Interior view of the north apse from the south (closer view). The photograph is annotated in pencil at the back. See also photos nos 02/13/28/01 (BRFno 02/03/01/48) and 02/13/28/02 (BRFno 02/03/01/49).
Main entrance door. The photograph is annotated in ink at the back: 'MAIN ENTRANCE DOOR BETHLEHEM (fragment of cornice peeping from Armenian wall indicate pos. of small door). Further annotation in ink and pencil survives.
View of the mosaic decoration- East wall, North trancept, (Christological scene- The Incredibility of Thomas) .
Part of mosaic decoration in the aisles (the Councils?). Duplicate print exists. Oversize prints.
Part of mosaic decoration in the aisles, south wall of nave (the Councils?). Duplicate print exists. Oversize prints.
Part of mosaic decoration in the aisles (the Councils?). Duplicate print exists. Oversize prints.
Part of mosaic decoration in the aisles with a narrative scene. Duplicate print exists with annotation on back 'not published' etc. Oversize prints.
East apse of Greek choir of the basilica. The photograph is dated and annotated in ink at the back: 'EAST PASE OF GREEK CHOIR OF BASILICA + GREEK CONVENT. 1908'.
North apse and medieval countrefort. The photograph is dated and annotated in ink at the back: 'NORTH APSE + MEDIEVAL COUNTRE FORT (OF OLD LATIN CHURCH PROBABLY) 1908'.
South apse of the basilica from the Greek tower. The photograph is dated and annotated in ink at the back: 'S. APSE BASILICA BETHLEHEM FROM GREEK TOWER 1908'.
Wooden-carved model of the church in the British Museum.
Wooden-carved model of the church in the British Museum.
Byzantine inscription in medallion bearing the name Hylasiou (north transept).
Byzantine inscription in medallion bearing the title of Bishop (north transept).
Carved doorway. The photograph is annotated in pencil at the back.
Baptistery: view of the sculpture of the font. The photogaph is annotated in pencil at the back. Initialed in pencil in the upper right-hand corner RWS.
Panagia church: The ciborium. The photogaph is annotated in pencil at the back. Initialed in pencil in the upper right-hand corner RWS.
View of interior looking east (the templon). The photogaph is annotated in pencil at the back. Initialed in pencil in the upper right-hand corner RWS.
Panagia church: North transept, the arcade. The photogaph is annotated in pencil at the back. Initialed in pencil in the upper right-hand corner RWS.
Byzantine inscription in the iconostasis (four medalions). It reads: 'the builder and Constantine and George the priests).
Byzantine inscription in the iconostasis (four medalions). It reads: 'Mother of God, help Bishop George'.
Byzantine inscription in medallion bearing the title of bishop (north transept).
Byzantine inscription bearing the name and title of bishop Hylasios (north transept).
Baptestery: Floor mosaic. The drawing is entitled in ink: 'Baptestery - Remains of Mosaic Floor East End of North Aisle'. Further annotation in ink survives.
Baptestery: Carved panel. The drawing is entitled in ink: 'Carved Panel in Baptestery probably reused from some other position.
Batpistery: The cruciform font (section/elevation/plan). The drawing is entitled in ink: 'Baptestery- Crusiform Font'. Further annotation in ink survives.
Batpistery: Section of nave (north arcade). The drawing is entitled in ink: 'Baptestery - Section of Nave, Arcade looking North'. Further annotation in ink survives.
Baptestery: Details of narthex doors (plans/elevations/ sections). The drawing is entitled in ink: 'Baptestery - Details of Narthex Doors, Side Toward Narthex'. Further annotation in ink survives.
Panagia church: Apse of the bema (section/elevation/plan of the throne). The drawing is entitled in ink: 'Great Church - Apse of the Throne'. Further annotation in ink survives.
Panagia church (Archpriest's throne): Side elevation, Details of sculpture. The drawing is entitled in ink: 'Great Church - Archpriests Throne'. Further annotation in ink survives.
Panagia church: Ciborium (details). The drawing is entitled in ink: 'Great Church - Details of Ciborium'. Further annotation in ink survives.
Panagia church: Ciborium (details). Te drawing is entitled in ink: 'Great Church - Details of Ciborium'. Further annotation in ink survives.
Panagia church (iconostasis): Elevations/details. The drawing is entitled in ink: 'Great Church - Details of Iconostasis'. Further annotation in ink survives.