According to Bede, organised Christianity was established in the kingdom
of the South Saxons by St Wilfrid, the exiled Bishop of York, c.680-81.
During his stay (c.680-86) Wilfrid founded a monastery at Selsey, a
former royal estate given to him by King Aethelwealh, probably at Church
Norton, by the entrance to Pagham Harbour. After Caedwalla conquered the South
Saxons c.685, the area became part of the diocese of West Sussex, with
its seat in Winchester, but a bishopric of Sussex was established c.705,
and Wilfrid's monastery was taken over as the episcopal seat. The bishopric
does not seem to have been particularly strong, and by 1066 the Archbishops of
Canterbury owned slightly more land in Sussex than did the Bishop of Selsey,
which was one of the poorest bishoprics in England. In 1075, the see was
transferred to Chichester. Selsey cathedral, probably on the site of Wilfrid's
monastic church, was retained as the parish church until 1864-66, when all but
the chancel was removed to a new site in the town,
where it was orientated N rather than E (it is described as if traditionally
orientated in the above text). What remains at Church Norton was dedicated to
St Wilfrid in 1917 and is known as St Wilfrid's Chapel. The new parish church,
complete with a new chancel, was consecrated on 12
April 1866.
