Historic Sites | Sussex Castles | Richard Bird

Great Dixter

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 20:25:24 -0400

Coming soon.

Winchelsea

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 19:20:38 -0400

Old Winchelsea
Old Winchelsea grew on a low shingle bank under what is now the estuary of the river Rother. While the geography of the estuary has changed significantly over the years, the area has always provided a large, safe anchorage for ships. This enabled the development of the town of Winchelsea and its eventual membership in the Confederation of Cinque Ports. Winchelsea has seen its share of history and I have highlighted some events that have touched Winchelsea below.

1215
Towards the end of the barons rebellion, Prince Louis of France - the rebel leader, was driven to Winchelsea where he was hoping for rescue by a French fleet. Unfortunately for Philip, the masters of the cinque ports were by now holding Rye and Winchelsea for the king and Philip was not able to escape. He entered Winchelsea, but the townspeople aware Louis was coming abandoned the town, taking all food and supplies with them, leaving Philip in a precarious position.

1242
The king of France prepared for an invasion of England and assembled a fleet to transport 4,000 knights and 1,000 carts across the channel. King Henry declared war on France and ordered the masters of the Cinque ports to be on guard for and to resist any French aggression. In a loose translation of this order, the masters of the Cinque ports take the opportunity to raid and pillage French ships. A year later the Cinque ports had to seek assistance from the Archbishop of York after three French raids in quick succession.

Wilmington Long Man

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 19:19:58 -0400

The Wilmington Long Man is a figure over 230 feet high cut into chalk of the South Downs. The origins of the Long Man are not clear. Many are convinced the figure is prehistoric, some believe that he is the work of a monk from Wilmington Priory in the 11th and 12th centuries. Roman coins show a similar figure, suggesting that the Long Man belonged to that era. Similar figures have also been found on Anglo-Saxon ornaments.

The Long Man has been subject to a number of revisions and some pranks, including a sex change and a more anatomically correct male version. For more information about the Long Man, please visit the official web site.

The Long Man is located near the A27, 10 miles south east of Lewes.

Rye

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 19:19:13 -0400

Rye itself, dates from Saxon times, when it was an island surrounded by sea and marsh. The sea has since moved and Rye is now several miles inland. The island of Rye was given to the Bishop of Fecamp by King Cnut in 1027. Rye remained in the abbeys hands until 1232 when King Henry III took possession. It was Henry who ordered the castle to be built at Rye, as part of England’s south coast defenses.

There were originally 4 fortified gates into Rye. There is one remaining gate into Rye, now known as the Rye Landgate. Ypres castle is one of the oldest surviving buildings buildings in Rye. It was built in 1250 by Roger of Savoy. Roger sold the castle to John d'Ypres around 1430, from who, it takes its present name. The castle currently houses part of the Rye town museum.

Smuggling at Rye first started around the 14th century, shortly after King Edward I introduced a customs system. The Mermaid Inn was a haunt of the notorious Hawkhurst smugglers gang in the 18th century. There are rumored to be secret passages below the Mermaid Inn that lead to the sea and were used by the smugglers to transfer their contraband between ship and shore.

Michelham Priory

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 19:18:34 -0400

Michelham Priory was founded in 1229 by Gilbert L'Aigle. Michelham was an Augustinian order and lived within the local community. Michelham Priory is a rare example of a fortified monastery. The gatehouse and moat were built around 1390 by Prior John Leem, possibly in anticipation of invasion by the French who had in the past sacked, Lewes, Rye, Winchelsea and Hastings in previous years. The gatehouse would have originally been connected to land via a drawbridge, rather than the stone bridge that is there now.

The priory lay on the Lewes to Pevensey road and many travelers would stop and seek shelter for the night. Travelers seeking shelter have included the Archbishop of Canterbury, King Edward I and Thomas a Beckett. Thomas a Beckett had the misfortune to fall in the moat when a bridge gave way. He survived unharmed, only to be later murdered by knights in the service of Henry II.

The Priory was hit badly by the Black Death in 1349, losing about half its community. The priory when into a decline and was finally closed by Henry VIII and the dissolution of the monasteries in 1537. Amongst other things, Henry is reputed to have stolen the lead from the roof at that time. An addition was added in tudor times and the priory was converted into country house.

Lewes Priory

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 19:18:13 -0400

Lewes priory was founded in 1077 by William de Warenne and his wife Gundrada. William and Gundrada favored the more austere worship practiced at Cluny and founded the first Cluniac priory in England. The priory was initially settled with monks and from Cluny, as was the first prior Lanzo. Although the distance between the two priories meant that Lewes was never fully subordinate to Cluny.

William de Warenne settled Much land on the priory. The initial charter was ratified by King William I. The priory was granted Waltham manor and a number of local churches including Iford, Moulescoubme and Newhaven. After William de Warenne’s death in 1088, his son granted more land.

The priory was also granted land in Pevensey bay, but some of this land was lost in the great storms of the early thirteenth century. Battle abbey had also lost land in the storms and the abbot of Battle Joined the prior of Lewes in complaining to the King that the Pevensey sea defenses were inadequate.

Gundrada died in 1085 and William in 1088 and both were buried in the priory. At its peak in the middle of thirteenth century there were over 100 monks at their priory and the priory had six subordinate houses. Unfortunately in later years there was mismanagement of the priories properties. First by Milo de Columbiers and then by John of Avignon. By 1279 there were only 39 monks. With further depletion with the Black Death there was only 24 monks by the dissolution.

Fishbourne Roman Palace

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 19:16:30 -0400

There is evidence of Roman occupation at the Fishbourne site from around AD43. First as a simple military staging post, but by around AD 100, the site had developed to an impressive palace with over a hundred rooms.

With a footprint of over 10 acres, it is one of the largest roman residences in northern europe. Most of the rooms had beautiful mosaic floors, a number of which can still be seen today. Some of the rooms had hypocausts or under floor heating. The building was arranged with four wings framing a large formal garden.

Evidence has been found of the original plantings and the original garden recreated. It is thought the palace may have been the residence of a local pro-roman British chief, possibly Cogidubnus. None of the above ground building exists today, but the palace is worth visiting for the impressive mosaics and recreated gardens. There is also a museum that displays many of the finds from the site.

Fishbourne Roman Palace slideshow

Visiting Fishbourne

Chichester Cathedral

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 19:16:00 -0400

The christian church had presence in Chichester from roman times. In 956, King Eadwig of the South Saxons granted sixty hides (possibly at Oving, Halnaker, Eartham and Up Waltham) to Bishop Brihthelm and the monks of Chichester. After the norman invasion in 1066, William I gave the rape of Arundel, which at that time included Chichester, to Roger de Montgomery. The see of Chichester was created at the council of London in 1075.

Work on Chichester Cathedral was started in 1076 under bishop Stigand. Stigand died in 1088, but work is completed by Bishop Luffa in 1108. The cathedral was largely rebuilt in the 12th and 13th centuries after suffering extensive fire damage.

In 1129 Bishop Seffrid of Chichester attended the great council. The council was held to determine if clergymen should be allowed wives. Many clergy had wives, although the practice had been banned some years earlier. Henry II, ever vigilant for a potential revenue stream, allowed the practice, but levies fees on all married clergy.

Burpham

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 19:14:01 -0400

Burpham was a Saxon settlement near Arundel. It was listed in Alfred’s Burghal Hidage and part of king Alfred’s defense against the vikings. According to the Burghal Hidage, Burpham was responsible for providing 720 men to defend England from invaders, when needed.

The town is located two miles north of Arundel on the east bank of the river Arun. It is a large roughly rectangular earthworks with a defensive ditch. The site is approximately 2000 feet north to south, 700 feet wide at the top and a narrow waist of only 150 feet. There is little to see above ground now, but the site showed substantial Saxon activity. There are Post holes for large buildings and the remains of pots, cookware and various animals including pigs, calves, chickens, sheep, fish and fresh water oysters.

Picture of southern tip of Burpham burgh.

Photograph © Copyright Simon Carey and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Bosham

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 19:13:12 -0400

There is evidence of human activity at Bosham dating to Roman times. The site continued as an important Saxon site. In 670 an Irish monk, Dicul, set up a small monastery in Bosham (Bosanham) with 5 or 6 brothers. At that time the local Saxon population paid little attention to his teachings and Christianity did not gain significant footing until the later with the arrival of Bishop Wilfred.

The Holy Trinity church in Bosham, pictured left, is largely Saxon. The first parts of the church were built in the early 11th Century, during the reign of King Cnut. It is believed that Cnut's eight year old daughter died here and is buried at the Church.

The manor passed down to Earl Godwine and then to Harold. It is believed Harold dined here and prayed at the church before his fateful voyage to Normandy. After the Battle of Hastings, William of Normandy took the church and manor at Bosham as a royal domain. In the Domesday Book of 1084, Bosham Church was one of the wealthiest churches in England, owning property of over thirteen thousand acres across the country.

Boxgrove Priory

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 19:11:47 -0400

A church has existed in Boxgrove hundred since Saxon times. Unfortunately nothing is now left of that original church. After the conquest the land was granted to Roger Montgomery, the first lord of Arundel. During the reign of Henry I, Boxgrove passed to Robert de Haia, the kings cousin.

De Haia founded Boxgrove Priory in 1117 with a cell for 3 monks from the Abbey de Exaquio in L’Essay, Normandy. Under the reign of King Stephen, the cell grew to 15 monks. William d'Aubigny, Earl of Arundel endowed the priory with great possessions, although he did charge the priory 2d, due each year on Lagheday.

At its peak, the Priory buildings included a kitchen, brewhouse, chapter house, warming room, an infirmary, a guest house with undercroft and solar, dove cote and a rabbit Warren. The cloister was a square over sixty feet on each side. The priory belonged to the Benedictine order and was always involved with the local community. Henry III granted the priory the right to three day fair each year on February the third, the morrow of St. Blaise.

Bignor Roman Villa

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 19:11:26 -0400

Bignor roman villa was discovered in 1811 by George Tupper, a local farmer who was ploughing his fields. On subsequent excavation it was discovered that Bignor was the site of an extensive 3rd century roman villa. The villa courtyard originally enclosed an area of 4½ acres. There are a number of beautifully preserved mosaics, a bath and a hypocaust or underfloor heating system.

Right is shown a mosaic of two gladiators in combat.

Bignor Roman Villa slideshow

Visiting Bignor Roman Villa

Bayham Abbey

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 18:41:40 -0400

Bayham abbey is situated on the Sussex-Kent border near Polegate. It was the first of twenty seven houses of the Premonstratensian order founded in England. The Premonstratensians also also know as the white canons due to the their white habits.

The abbey was founded and endowed by Ralph de Dene, a wealthy Norman early in the thirteenth century. The abbey received additional endowments from the Sackville family and thrived until the dissolution of the monasteries by King Henry VIII. Henry granted the income from the monastery to Cardinal Wolsey, who used the money to found colleges in Oxford and Ipswich. The income at that time was £4 9s 4½d.

The abbey is now a ruin, but substantial stonework remains, including much of the chapel and gatehouse. The site is open to the public April through September.

Bayham Abbey slideshow

Visiting Bayham Abbey

Battle Abbey

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 18:41:22 -0400

Work on Battle Abbey was begun in 1070 by William I. The Abbey was built on Senlac hill, the site of the Battle of Hastings. The Pope had ordered the Abbey built by William I, as penance for the loss of English life and plunder taken from the English during the conquest. The south wall of the abbey is thought to be close to line held by the saxons shield wall and the chapel alter was built on the spot where King Harold was cut down. The Benedictine abbey was named for St Martin by the monks, but William ordered the abbey be called Battle as a reminder to the English of his crushing victory over them.

Initially work on the abbey was slow, with construction supervisors chiefly interested in maximizing their profits. The speed of construction improved after the appointment of Gausbert, as abbot in 1076. William’s first choice of abbot, Robert Blancard was drowned in a storm off the sussex coast on route to accept his new responsibilities.

William I never saw the abbey finished, but his son William II consecrated the abbey in February of 1094 after work was completed.

Ashdown Forest

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 18:40:52 -0400

In Sussex, an area of the Weald north of Pevensey were afforested under new Norman "forest laws". The new forest was granted as part of the Rape of Pevensey to Robert, Earl of Mortain. In the Domesday book it was referred to as Pevensel forest.

At its largest extent, the forest was approximately 20 square miles. The current forest is approximately 10 square miles and is currently bounded by Crowborough, Forest Row and Maresfield.

The forest contains evidence of human activity dating back to the Bronze Age and contains Bronze Age, Iron Age and Roman remains. The forest has been the centre for iron industry dating back to Roman times. England's first blast furnace was built here in 1496. The forest is better known in recent times as the setting for A.A. Milne's Christopher Robin stories. For more information about the forest today please visit http://www.ashdownforest.co.uk/.

The abive photo of Ashdown forest provided by http://www.infobritain.co.uk