31 Aug 2006
Transcribed by Stacey Gardner
Selsey (or Selsea) is a large parish, 9 miles south from Chichester, in the Western division of the county, Manhood hundred, Chichester rape, and county court district, Westhampnett union, rural deanery of Box grove (3rd division), and archdeaconry and diocese of Chichester; it forms a peninsula, being surrounded on 3 sides by the sea and near it is Pagham Harbour, reclaimed in 1876, the area being about 750 acres, which is being turned into farming land, the streams of the harbour being utilised for breeding oysters and other fish. Selsey is a very healthy place, with fine sands on its south western coast, and affords a good view of the Isle of Wight: the village, consisting of 3 streets is very clean with a plentiful supply of good spring water and is about ¾ mile distant from the sea, and has a considerable crab, lobster and prawn fishery and a life boat station, there is good anchorage for yachts all the year round. Selsey the original seat of the see of Chichester, founded by St Wilfred, the exiled Bishop of Northumbria, to whom Selsey was granted by Ethelwealh, King of Sussex, and where he built a cathedral; Eadbert, his successor, was consecrated Bishop of Selsey in 711, and there were 22 Bishops of Selsey, but in 1072 Stigand removed the see to Chichester. The parish church of St Peter’s, erected in 1865, on a commanding site at the entrance to the village, is a building in the Early English style, with Perpendicular insertions & additions, chancel, nave, aisles and a tower with shingled spire containing 3 bells: the font is Norman: the church will seat 240 persons. The chancel of the old church, an Early English edifice about 2 miles from the village, is still standing and is now used as a chapel for burials and other occasional services. The register dates from the year 1662. The living is a rectory and vicarage united, net income £750, with residence, and 51 acres of glebe, in the gift of the Bishop of Chichester, and held since 1863 by the Rev. Henry Foster M.A. of St Johns College Cambridge and prebendary of Selsey, in Chichester cathedral, who is possessed of the tithes of the whole parish, on which, however, there is a charge of £10 per annum, in favour of the prebendal estate of Selsey, now in the hands of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. There is a chapel for the Bible Christians, erected in 1867. The principal landowners are F. W. Grafton esq. M.P. of Manchester, who is lord of the manor, H. Padwick esq. and the Pagham Harbour Reclamation Company. The area is 3,494 acres of land; rateable value £4,689; the population in 1871 was 901, and in 1881 was 930 including 75 at the coast guard station.
Norton is a hamlet in this parish, 2 miles north.
Parish Clerk Edmund Woodland.
Post, M.O. Office & Savings Bank - Edwin Harvey Bateman, postmaster. Letters through Chichester arrive at 9am; dispatched at 5.50pm; Sidlesham is the nearest telegraph office.
Sub Post Office Norton, Mrs Mary Richards, receiver. Letters arrive at 8.45am; dispatched at 5pm.
Coastguard Station, Thorney, Robert Howell, chief officer, in charge of 8 men; Selsey, with Wallend, John Weeks, chief officer, in charge of 8 men
National School, Miss Henrietta Morris, mistress; Miss Sarah Samways, assistant mistress.
Carriers to Chichester Michael Fidler, George Sherrington, James Petts & John James, daily
Private Residents
Arnell Mrs
Clayton Miss, Glynn House
Clayton Newton Park House
Foster Rev. Henry M.A. (prebend of Selsey in Chichester Cathedral), Rectory
Harding James
Sheward Mrs
Woodman The Misses
Commercial
Bateman Edwin H. grocer, draper, butcher, baker & ale & port merchant, post office
Clayton James, farmer, High House
Eatough Joseph, contractor, Greenlease
Fidler Michael, carrier
Howell Robert. coast guard officer, Thorney
James John, shopkeeper
Jinman George, shopkeeper
Johnson William, boot maker
Lambourne & Hare, farmers
Mitchell Jane (Mrs), lodging house
Morgan Henry, shopkeeper
Pagham Harbour Reclamation Co. (Newton Clayton, sec.)
Penfold Hugh Heath, farmer, Coles Farm
Pink John Millington, carrier
Prior Charles, blacksmith
Pullinger Colin, builder &c.
Randall Charles, Crown Inn
Reeves Bessie (Mrs), lodging house
Roberts Charles, beer retailer
Smart Jim, carpenter & wheelwright
Sharp George Frederick, miller (wind) & farmer
Smith Frederick Arnell, Fisherman’s Joy
Stanford Charles, beer retailer
Subington Lambert, maltster & farmer
Tapner Edward, lodging house, Beacon House
Weeks John, coast guard officer
Wheatley George, gardener, Norton
Woodland Alfred, grocer & coal merchant, butcher, baker & draper
Woodland Thomas, farmer
Woodland William, farmer
Woodman Mary (Mrs), farmer & landowner, The Grange, Norton
Woodman William Cosens, farmer & landowner, Norton
31 Aug 2006 | Transcribed by Stacey Gardner |
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