BOSHAM
The parish, which measures 3 miles from north to
south by 2 miles from east to west, contains 3,915 acres,
of which 116 acres are tidal water and 609 acres foreshore. The southern half is bounded by two channels
which form parts of Chichester Harbour. The western
of these, Bosham Channel, runs inland to Cut Mill, (fn. 1)
the village and the church, above which point it is
joined by a stream running past the former mill at
Broadbridge. The main Chichester—Portsmouth road
crosses the north of the parish, and the railway runs
close to it on the north, with Bosham station on the
boundary of the parish at Broadbridge. From this point
a minor road leads southwards past Walton and is connected by a cross-road at Church Farm with another
road southwards from the main road, passing Stonewall
Farm. The 'tradition' that this farm was an important
Roman site ('Vespasian's Palace') has been disproved
by excavations, but Roman remains have been found
at various places within the parish. (fn. 2)
Almost the only woodland is in the south of the
parish at Old Park Wood, near Hook Farm. The park
is referred to on a number of occasions, as in 1233, (fn. 3)
1366, (fn. 4) and 1482, (fn. 5) and in 1554 'the old park' was let
for 12s. and grazing rights in 'the new park' brought
in £6 13s. 4d. (fn. 6) Some 830 acres in Bosham and Funtington were inclosed in 1834. (fn. 7)
While the now popular 'tradition' of Canute's association with Bosham seems to have started about the
end of the 18th century, the place was probably the
chief seat of Earl Godwin. Here in 1049 his eldest
son Swegen murdered his cousin Beorn, (fn. 8) and from here
in 1064 Harold set out on the voyage which ended in
his falling into the hands of William of Normandy. (fn. 9)
Conventional representations of the church and hall of
Bosham therefore figure on the Bayeux Tapestry. In
the 12th century it was presumably the birthplace, or
at least residence, of Herbert of Bosham, the friend and
biographer of Archbishop Thomas Becket.
The Manor House, north-east of the church, is said
to have been constructed from the remains of an ancient
structure that stood near the site; but it dates from
about the middle of the 17th century. The original
part is of rectangular plan lying east and west. The
walls are of rubble masonry of freestone (the reused
material) and flints with 17th-century brick dressings
to the angles and windows, moulded plinth, and first-floor string-course. The east and west ends are gabled
and of three stories. The west end, towards the garden,
has sash windows to the two lower stories and a two-light casement to the third. The windows on the south
side also have flush sash-frames of the 18th century, but
there are remains of 17th-century brick-dressed windows now blocked for a chimney-stack built within
them. The east end has a doorway and casement
windows, perhaps in original openings. The middle of
the three ground-floor rooms (dining-room) has a 10 ft.-wide fire-place, recently opened out again, with an oak
lintel. The study west of it has an angle fire-place of
the 18th or 19th century, for which the original windows were blocked. The upper story has no noticeably
old features. The roof, in the attics, retains only one
of the original curved wind-braces. In the late 18th
century the drawing-room wing of brickwork was
added (or rebuilt) at the west end projecting northwards. Perhaps the part east of it containing the staircase and entrance hall is partly of the same period but
has been altered, making the plan rectangular. The
staircase has 18th-century turned pitch-pine balusters
and steps in the upper part, the lower flights being
modern. The original chimney-shaft above the tiled
roof is of cross-plan. East of the house is a small moated
square plot said to be the site of the early house that
provided the reused masonry. If so it must have been
very small.
At the south-west corner of the garden adjoining the
churchyard are the remains of a small rectangular
building with stone rubble walls of the 12th or early
13th century. In the north wall is a rough round-arched opening, now low down because of the earthing
up of the interior. The west side-wall, 2½ ft. thick,
contains three narrow rectangular loop-lights; the east
wall is missing; the south end wall seems to be unpierced but is much overgrown with verdure.
There is little else of interest in the village itself.
The south wall of the lane south of the churchyard is
of 14th-century masonry. (fn. 10) It is about 60 ft. long, of
flintwork with stone dressings at both ends, and an
intermediate doorway with chamfered jambs and a
pointed head with a hood-mould. In it is a pair of oak
doors hung with strap-hinges with fleur-de-lis ends. A
stone at the west end is inscribed L/RM 1743. The wall
bounds the garden behind (east of) Brook House, a
good 18th-century house occupied by the vicar. At the
east end of the garden is a thatched cottage of some
age. A few of the other buildings near the church may
be of the 17th century, but if so they are effectively
disguised by later alterations.
Walton, ¾ mile north-east of the church, is a 17th-century farm-house now converted to tenements. It has
flint walls with brick dressings and a central chimneystack of thin bricks above the tiled roof. A little south
of it is 'Parker's Pound', a house formerly an inn. The
north half of it is of early-17th-century timber-framing
with brick nogging mostly of herring-bone pattern.
The other half is of modern brick and the central
chimney-stack above the thatched roof has been rebuilt.
Church Farm, about 1¼ miles south-east of the
church, is a late-16th-century farm-house of L-shaped
plan facing north. Originally a timber-framed building,
it has been much altered. The main block is faced with
19th-century brickwork and has a gabled two-storied
porch-wing in the middle having timber-framed sides
and a wide entrance but faced in front with similar
brickwork. The east end of the main block has framing
to the upper story; the infilling is of herring-bone
brickwork. The west wing projecting in front has
similar framing in the sides to both stories, but the
gabled north front is built of early to mid-17th-century
brickwork with a moulded plinth. It had large windows with moulded labels, afterwards reduced to small
lights. The three-light mullioned window to the attic
story is blocked. The central chimney-stack of 17th-century bricks is of the local rebated type. An upper
room has old panelling.
MANORS
Before the Conquest Bosham seems to
have constituted a great lordship covering
not only the parish of that name but, on
the west Thorney and Chidham, on the north Funtington and West Stoke, and on the east (New) Fishbourne
and Appledram, with outlying members, many at a
considerable distance. The western portion was
attached to the church and was given by Edward the
Confessor to his Norman chaplain Osbern, afterwards
Bishop of Exeter, becoming the Chapelry of Bosham
(see below). The remainder was obtained by Earl
Godwin and consisted of 56½ hides, rated at 38 hides.
This manor of BOSHAM was the only Sussex estate
retained in his own hands by the Conqueror; it included
8 mills, 2 fisheries, and woodland yielding 6 swine; 11
haws in Chichester had belonged to it, but 10 of these
had been given to the bishop. (fn. 11) The commissioners gave
the value as £40, but added that it returned (or was
leased for) £50 of assayed money, equivalent to £65
by tale. The fee farm rent paid by William fitz Aucher,
to whom King William is said to have granted the
manor, was £42, (fn. 12) equivalent to £57 by tale, so that
presumably some of the outlying portions were farmed
separately. The manor evidently reverted to the
Crown, as in about 1125 Henry I granted first Funtington and then, instead, Appledram (q.v.) to Battle
Abbey. (fn. 13) Subsequently the manor seems to have been
alienated, probably to John the Marshal, son of Gilbert, as his dispute with Archbishop Becket (fn. 14) was
apparently concerned with the estate of Bowley, (fn. 15)
which lay within the Canterbury manor of Pagham but
was an outlier of Bosham manor; (fn. 16) moreover, John is
supposed to have died in 1164 or 1165, (fn. 17) and the
Sheriff of Sussex is found in 1165 accounting for
£12 11s. 4d. farm of Bosham for the (last) quarter of
that year. (fn. 18) Next year the farm was £50 18s., and in
1167 it was £62 5s. 6d., but a note was made that it
should in future be £42, including the lastage (port
dues along the coast from Langstone, on the borders of
Hampshire, to Pevensey), (fn. 19) which had been farmed by
William son of Durand for £26 13s. 4d. (fn. 20) The manor
was restocked in 1167 by the purchase of, inter alia,
315 sheep, 88 swine, and 33 oxen. (fn. 21) From 1170 to
1178 Saulf answered for the farm, in 1179 Roger, who
next year is associated with William and Simon; in
1182 we find Roger and Simon 'and other men of
Bosham', and in the last year of Henry II Roger,
Simon, and Thomas, 'reeves (prepositi) of Bosham', (fn. 22)
corresponding, no doubt, to the three bailiffs of the
17th century: these were the chamberlain, who acted
as coroner and to some extent as sheriff within the
liberty, controlled the woods and fisheries, and collected certain rents; the hayward, who collected
some rents, casualties, and the perquisites of courts;
and the reeve, who collected certain copyhold rents. (fn. 23)
It looks, therefore, as if during this period the manor
was farmed by the men of Bosham. Between 1190
and 1193 John Marshal, elder son of the previous
John, answered for the rent, and in 1194 he was succeeded by his brother William Marshal, the famous
Earl of Pembroke. (fn. 24) As both brothers held the office
of sheriff, their exact connexion with the manor is not
clear; but it was certainly granted or confirmed to
William, subject to the fee farm of £42, (fn. 25) and he had
licence to export 400 quarters of corn from his manor
of Bosham in 1206, (fn. 26) and to hold a market there on
Thursdays in 1218. (fn. 27) The great Earl Marshal died in
1219 and his title and lands passed in rapid succession
to his five sons, none of whom left any issue. Richard,
the second son, was involved in a violent quarrel with
Henry III, who in October 1233 ordered the sheriff
to utterly destroy the houses and gardens of Richard,
Earl Marshal, at Bosham and to sell (the timber of)
his park. (fn. 28) After the death of Walter, the fourth son,
and of Anselm, who only survived his brother by a few
weeks, Bosham manor was assigned as dower to Margaret, widow of Earl Walter, (fn. 29) and was valued, after
deduction of the fee farm, at £97 3s. 5¾d. (fn. 30) The
marshalcy fell to Roger Bigod, Earl of Norfolk, (fn. 31) as son
of Earl William's eldest daughter Maud, who had
married first Hugh Bigod, and afterwards William de
Warenne, Earl of Surrey, (fn. 32) but Bosham seems to have
been assigned to Roger's brother Hugh, the justiciar.
In 1262 it was shown that Bosham was ancient demesne and that when the king tallaged his boroughs
Hugh Bigod could tallage Bosham, including its member of Buckfold in Petworth; (fn. 33) and in 1265 the Barons
caused Hugh, who had fled abroad after the Battle of
Lewes, to be summoned at Bosham to attend the council. (fn. 34) In June 1266 Hugh's executors were pardoned
rent of the manor during the time that it was in the
hands of the rebels, (fn. 35) and it was delivered to his son
Roger, although he had not yet proved his age. (fn. 36) This
Roger succeeded to the earldom of Norfolk and the
marshalcy on the death of his uncle in 1270. (fn. 37) He led
the baronial opposition to the high-handed measures of
Edward I, and in 1301, either to placate the king or
because he had quarrelled with his brother and heir
presumptive John, (fn. 38) he made over all his estates to the
king, receiving them back as tenant for life, (fn. 39) being
excused payment of the rent of £42 for Bosham. At
the time of his death in 1306 Earl Roger held the
manor of Bosham, with the hamlet of Funtington,
including two chief messuages and two watermills, (fn. 40)
and it was assigned in dower to his widow Alice. (fn. 41) The
titles and estates of Earl Roger were bestowed on the
infant son of Edward I Thomas of Brotherton and
the heirs of his body, (fn. 42) and he gave Bosham to his son
Edward and his wife Beatrice daughter of Roger
Mortimer. (fn. 43) Edward died without issue in his father's
life-time and Beatrice married Thomas de Braose, (fn. 44)
who died in 1361, when the manor was confirmed to
Beatrice for her life. (fn. 45) On her death in 1383 the manor
reverted to the elder daughter of Earl Thomas, Margaret, Countess of Norfolk. (fn. 46) She was raised to the
rank of Duchess of Norfolk in 1398 and died, at a great
age, in the following year, (fn. 47) when she was succeeded
by her grandson Sir Thomas Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk. He died in exile in 1399, when Bosham passed
to his son Thomas, (fn. 48) during whose minority the manor
was granted for life to Sir John Pelham. (fn. 49) Thomas,
who was allowed only the titles of Earl Marshal and
Nottingham, was executed for rebellion in 1405, and
Bosham passed to his brother John, (fn. 50) who became
Duke of Norfolk in 1425 and died in 1432, leaving
a son John, (fn. 51) who before his death in 1461 settled the
manor on his son John at his marriage to Elizabeth
Talbot. (fn. 52) This John died in 1476 and his only child
Anne, married when five years old to Richard, Duke of
York, who was murdered in the Tower by Richard III,
died in 1481. The Mowbray estates were then divided
between the representatives of the two daughters of
Thomas, Duke of Norfolk, namely William, Lord
Howard, created Duke of Norfolk in 1483, and William, Lord
Berkeley, created Earl of Nottingham and in 1489 Marquess
Berkeley. (fn. 53) The reversion of the
manor of Bosham after the death
of Elizabeth, Duchess of Norfolk
(d. 1507), fell to Lord Berkeley,
who settled it on himself and the
heirs of his body, with remainder
in default of such heirs to the
king. (fn. 54) When, however, he died
without issue in 1492 his brother
Maurice Berkeley disputed the settlement and recovered the manor. (fn. 55) With his descendants the Earls
of Berkeley it remained until 1810, when the earl,
Frederick Augustus, devised it to his second son, Captain
(afterwards Vice-Admiral Sir) Maurice Fitzhardinge
Berkeley. (fn. 56) From his cousin Charles, Lord Fitzhardinge, it was inherited by Edric Frederick, Lord
Gifford, v.c., (fn. 57) grandson of the 1st Lord Fitzhardinge.
He died in 1911, and his brother and successor in 1937,
before which date the lordship of the manor had been
bought by the Earl of Iveagh, the present owner.
Berkeley. Gules a cheveron and ten crosses formy argent.
John Smythe, steward of the Earl of Berkeley, wrote
an account of the manor of Bosham in 1637. (fn. 58) It comprised the seven tithings of Bosham, Bradbridge, Hook,
Creed, Walton, Fishbourne, and Southwood, and also
Funtington with East and West Ashling, all of which
attended the court baron at the manor-house, adjoining
the church. There were three particular courts leet,
and one 'great leet called Sheriff's Tourne', which were
attended also by the tenants of four other manors in the
Isle of Thorney and Chidham. There were about 20
freeholds, including Bowley in Pagham; the demesnes,
comprising 1,600 acres, were let at that time, under
24 leases, for £631 10s., and there were 175 acres of
coppice. There were some 4,000 acres of copyhold
land, bringing in about £84 in rents, and they were of
three varieties: (1) Forrepland, which paid relief as a
socage tenure, but no heriot, and its holders did not
have to serve as bailiffs; (2) Boardland, from which the
three bailiffs (see above) were chosen, and which paid
a heriot of the best beast or 2s. 6d.; and (3) Cotland
(in Creed and Funtington only), each holding consisting of a messuage and 5 acres, paying 5d. for heriot.
At Buckfold in Petworth were 9 holdings amounting
to 210 acres. The inhabitants of Bosham were exempt
from tolls, &c., throughout England, and from contributing to the payment of knights of the shire. The
steward of the manor was said to be admiral under a
grant of 8 Edward IV.
Henry I gave 30 shillingsworth of land at BROADBRIDGE in Bosham to William son of Ernulf in
exchange for the site on which was built the Abbey of
St. Mary de Pré at Rouen. (fn. 59) This figures on the Pipe
Rolls of Henry II as 'the land of Ærnald of Bradebrigge'. By the 13th century it was held of the Crown
as a serjeanty, the holder of which had to give two
white capons to the king when he rode past Broadbridge, and it is recorded that on 9 August 1269
William Papillon duly produced the capons when
Henry III passed through Bosham. (fn. 60) This William
died in 1283, holding by the said service a messuage
with 28 acres of arable, an acre of meadow, 2/3 of a mill,
and 4s. 6d. rent for lands alienated. (fn. 61) His heir was his
nephew Roger; but as the lands had been alienated
without licence, these portions were seized into the
king's hands, the tenants holding in future directly of
the Crown by rent. One portion consisted of a messuage and 8 acres in Walton, alienated to Geoffrey atte
Punfold, who died in 1305, when it passed to his son
John, (fn. 62) who in 1316 granted it to William de Fisseburne and William son of Isabel de Bradebrugge. (fn. 63)
The other portion alienated was a messuage, ⅓ of a
watermill, and 18 acres of arable, which William
Papillon gave to his brother Henry and his sister Mabel
for their lives. After Henry's death Mabel demised
this to Rose de Wheghelton, who demised it to Henry
de Clare. He died in 1309, leaving a daughter Isabel,
then married to Henry atte Houke. (fn. 64) In 1326 Roger
Papillon had licence to convey his property to William
de Fisseburne, Robert de la Houke, and Alice de
Bradebrugge and the heirs of her body. (fn. 65) The whole
estate was acquired by Thomas de Whelton and Isabel
his wife and Thomas their son about 1340, (fn. 66) and it
was probably the younger Thomas who died in 1361
seised of the messuage, mill, &c., in Broadbridge, held
of the king, partly by serjeanty and partly by a rent of
15s. (fn. 67) His son Richard, who was then 19, died in
1384, (fn. 68) leaving three daughters, Elizabeth, Margaret,
and Joan. (fn. 69) Elizabeth died in 1387, and orders were
given that Margaret, then aged 15, should receive a
moiety of the estate, and that the moiety of Joan, who
was only 12, should be delivered to her next friend
outside the line of inheritance. (fn. 70) Margaret died in
1420, as the widow of Richard Fuyst, holding 20 acres
in Broadbridge by the service of rendering 1 white
capon. (fn. 71) Her heir was her son, by a previous husband,
William Scardevyle, aged 30. He died in 1453, leaving
a son William, (fn. 72) who settled the watermill and other
property on his son Peter. (fn. 73) The latter was succeeded
in 1498 by his son William. (fn. 74)
Joan, the other daughter of Richard Whelton, is
probably the Joan widow of John Michelgrove, who
was holding ½ a mill and lands in Broadbridge in 1439
by service of 1 capon; (fn. 75) her son John Michelgrove who
died in 1459, holding by similar service, (fn. 76) left a son
John, and the property may perhaps be represented by
the lands in Bosham of which, inter alia, Elizabeth
daughter of John Michelgrove was seised when she
married John Shelley, and which they settled in 1511
on their son William at his marriage. (fn. 77)
One of the two moieties, probably that of Scardevile,
came to Ellis Bradshawe, who died in 1545, holding
a toft, a fulling mill, and land in Broadbridge by service
of 1 white capon when the king rode through the
land. (fn. 78) He left a son William, aged 9, but the property
passed eventually to his daughter Dorothy Drewe,
widow of Roger Drewe of Densworth in Funtington
(q.v.), who died in 1595 and was succeeded by her son
Bradshawe Drewe. (fn. 79) His son Francis left a son Francis,
who died an infant in 1630, and a sister Martha, wife
of Sir Gregory Norton, bart., who inherited the property. Sir Gregory, who was one of the regicides, died
in 1652 and Martha married Robert, 4th Viscount
Kenmure, whom she survived, dying in 1671. The
estate is said to have been bought soon after this by
one of the Peckhams, from which family it passed by
bequest to John Williams; (fn. 80) but all manorial rights
seem to have lapsed before that.
In 1086 Engeler was holding 2 hides of Bosham
manor. (fn. 81) This was [OLD] FISHBOURNE, as is
shown by the 12th-century charter of Turstin son of
Engelram (sic) giving to the Prior and canons of Southwick (Hants) 'all my lands of Fisseborn, namely that
which King William gave to my father Engeler'. (fn. 82) An
inquiry held in 1280 showed that Southwick Priory
then held at Fishbourne a messuage and 2 hides of land
'by gift of Thurstin Ingelyr', worth £10 yearly, (fn. 83) and
in 1320 the canons had a grant of free warren in their
demesne lands here. (fn. 84) The estate remained in the
hands of the priory until the Dissolution and in 1540
seems to have been granted to Anne of Cleves as 'the
manor' of Old Fishbourne, (fn. 85) but there is no later evidence of its manorial status and its subsequent descent
has not been traced.
The second lordship of Bosham consisted of the great
estates belonging to the church. The early history of
this presumably collegiate establishment is lost, but
before the Conquest its endowment amounted to 112
hides; it was given by the Confessor to his Norman
chaplain Osbern, who became
Bishop of Exeter. In 1086
Bishop Osbern still held 65
hides, but 47 hides lying in
Plumpton and Saddlescombe in
the Rape of Lewes had been lost
and were in the hands of William
de Warenne. (fn. 86) It is possible that
these distant outliers had been
separated before Osbern received
the lordship, as both are said to
have been held in the time of
King Edward by Godwin the
priest under Earl Godwin. (fn. 87) The
bishop's 65 hides constituted the CHAPELRY OF
BOSHAM, which was held by the service of 7½ knights'
fees: 2 for Thorney, 1 for West Stoke, 2 for Woolavington, 2 for Elsted, and ½ for Preston in Binderton, (fn. 88)
of which the last three places, at some distance from
Bosham, were entered separately in the Domesday Survey. (fn. 89) The history of the College of Bosham has been
dealt with elsewhere, (fn. 90) and manorially the centre of the
lordship was Chidham (q.v.). On the suppression of
the college its estates came to the Crown and were
granted in 1564 to Sir Richard Sackville, who at once
exchanged them to the Dean and Chapter of Chichester. (fn. 91) In 1633 Sir John Howell of Wrotham
claimed them under an alleged lease from Sir Richard
Sackville, and Dr. Edes, precentor of Chichester,
seems to have availed himself of the dispute to acquire
a long lease, which passed with his heiress to John
Frankland, from whom it was purchased by Richard
Barwell of Stansted Park. (fn. 92)
See of Exeter. Gules a sword in pale surmounted by two keys in saltire or.
CHURCH
The church of HOLY TRINITY
(fn. 93)
stands in the middle of the village and is
built of rubble with ashlar dressings, and
roofed with tile, except the north aisle and sacristy,
which are covered with lead, and the spire, which is
shingled. The original church consisted of a short
chancel, nave, and tower (though this may be an early
addition); of this a (very conventional) representation
is to be seen on the Bayeux Tapestry; it is also mentioned in Domesday Book. (fn. 94) The chancel was lengthened twice, once in the 12th century, and again in the
13th, when a sacristy was added to the north of it.
About the same time aisles were added, the north being
the earlier in date; under the east end of the south
aisle is a contemporary vaulted crypt, probably a charnel. (fn. 95) The south porch is of the 16th or 17th century.
At each of the two eastern corners of the chancel is
a pair of buttresses of two stages each with sloping
offsets; there are two like buttresses on the south side,
but the sacristy walls take their places on the north.
The east window is a group of five lancets, rising to
the centre, separated by slender piers. On the inside
they are enclosed by a stilted segmental pointed arch,
moulded, carried on Purbeck marble shafts with
moulded capitals and bases; four shafts of like design
carry the rear-arches (but their abaci are not of marble),
those of the middle three lights being stilted. In both
north and south walls of the east bay is a pair of lancets
under a common moulded rear-arch on Purbeck marble
shafts like those of the east window. Below the south
window is a double piscina under two arches, each a
round-headed trefoil, carried on a short shaft whose
capital is carved with foliage and its base moulded.
A moulded string-course runs round all three sides of
this bay; this work is all of the 13th century.
PARISH CHURCH of The HOLY TRINITY BOSHAM
On the north side of the next bay are the door to the
sacristy and the arch of the organ keyboard opening
into it, both modern plain pointed arches. Between
them is a niche tomb surmounted by a pointed cinquefoiled arch, moulded, with remains of crockets on the
extrados, resting on triple shafts with moulded capitals
and bases. In this niche is the somewhat mutilated
effigy of a lady, of less than life size, bare-headed and
wearing a sideless cotte, her feet rest on a lion; below
the niche are four cinquefoiled panels; this is late-14th- or 15th-century work. (fn. 96) Over this tomb is an
opening, possibly originally a window like that in the
east bay and of the same date, now occupied by the
organ. In the south wall is a window like that in
the east bay and of the same date, and a doorway with
plain pointed head, its stonework wholly renewed;
below the window is a piscina with plain pointed head
and mutilated drain, perhaps early-13th-century. The
original walling of this bay is of about the 12th century
and shows herring-bone rubble, the plaster of the inside
walls having been stripped off. Remains of a weather-mould suggest that a lean-to building may once have
stood outside this bay.
In the westernmost bay on the south side is a three-light window of three lancets surmounted by two
quatrefoils; this is modern, but the lancets may reproduce old work, and the rear-arch and splay jambs are
ancient. On the north side is a two-light window with
net tracery, now wholly modern; east of it are visible
the arch and one jamb of a pre-Conquest window with
round head and concentric splay; this bay represents
the original chancel. At the extreme west end of the
south wall are traces of a blocked doorway. About nine
carved human heads built into the inner side of the
chancel wall below plate level may be the remains of
corbels of a former roof.
The sacristy, originally of the 13th century, is of
two stories; the lower has been much altered and now
has modern single-light windows with square-headed
trefoil heads on the east and north sides and a doorway
with plain pointed arch and jambs on the north; the
upper story has ancient square-headed single-light
windows on the east and north.
The chancel arch (pre-Conquest) is semicircular, of
two orders each worked with a bold roll moulding; the
outer order is carried on nook-shafts, the inner on a
shaft attached to the face of the respond; each shaft
has a crude bell capital, and above these is an abacus
common to all, made in two stages, the lower semicircular on plan, the upper square; the base is of the
same design inverted. This work has been claimed, on
insufficient evidence, to be Roman work reused. South
of the chancel arch on the west side is a crude triangular
piscina of doubtful date.
The north arcade is of four bays with pointed arches
of two chamfered orders, showing some attempt at
chromatic decoration in the different colours of the
voussoirs; the piers are cylindrical with moulded capitals and bases, the latter of the water-holding type with
spurs and resting on square pedestals; this is 13th-century work. Above the arcade are three circular
windows, about 1 ft. across, with concentric splays, of
pre-Conquest date.
The south arcade resembles the north, but the
mouldings of the (renewed) capitals are of different profile; the bases of the east respond and of the pier next to
it are at a higher level than the others, resting on the wall
of the crypt; all the capitals and arches of this arcade
have been rebuilt in modern times and any windows
corresponding to those on the north have disappeared.
The tower arch (pre-Conquest) is semicircular, or
slightly horseshoe, in form, and of one order, the joints
of some of the lower voussoirs approaching the horizontal; it shows some chromatic decoration, and rests
on chamfered imposts and square jambs which show
long and short work. At the level of the first stage of
the tower is a doorway having a plain straight-lined
arch on square jambs with neither rebate nor doorcheck, presumably pre-Conquest and intended to give
access to a gallery; to the south of this is a small square-headed opening of uncertain date, probably a squint
for the ringer of the Sanctus bell; a plain round-headed
doorway at the next stage may have given access to
a chamber above a former flat ceiling.
On the north face of the north aisle are four buttresses, each of one stage with sloping offsets, of the
13th century. In the east wall is a three-light window
with trefoil-headed lights and scanty tracery under a
segmental-arched head, 16th-century; south of it is
a piscina with moulded round-headed trefoil arch,
13th-century but incorporating as its drain a pillar
piscina of the 12th.
In the north wall are a rectangular wall locker of
uncertain date, a doorway with moulded pointed arch
and hood-moulded and semicircular rear-arch, 13th-century, and three two-light windows with net tracery,
modern but perhaps reproducing 14th-century work;
in the west wall is a single-light window with uncusped
arch, slightly pointed, 13th- or 14th-century.
The south aisle has pairs of buttresses at each outside
corner, and two intermediate ones; these are of one
stage with sloping offsets, perhaps late-13th-century;
the south wall is surmounted by a cornice and battlemented parapet of about a century later. In the east
wall is a three-light window with geometrical tracery,
in the south are three two-light, and in the west wall
one two-light, windows in 14th-century style; the
stonework of all these is modern. In the south wall at
the east end is a piscina with pointed trefoil head and
credence shelf, and between the second and third
windows is a doorway with moulded pointed arch,
hood-mould, and jambs and segmental rear-arch, 14th-century; the woodwork of this door is ancient, of two
layers of planking.
Under the sill of the middle window is a niche tomb
with segmental pointed cinquefoil arch with subcusping and carved human heads (one missing) on the
cusps; this is set in a square frame with panelled trefoil
spandrels, and is probably 15th-century work.
Under the eastern part of this aisle is a small crypt,
its pavement being about 3 ft. below the level of the
church floor. It is vaulted in two bays with quadripartite vaulting having groin, division, and wall-ribs of
semi-octagon section resting on plain corbels, and is lit
on the east and south sides by openings at ground level
about 9 in. high; access is from the aisle by a doorway
with plain pointed arch and jambs; the door and door
furniture are ancient. This is evidently coeval with the
construction of the aisles.
The south porch has rubble walls on the east and
west and a plain pointed opening in brick on the south;
there are traces of a blocked window in the east wall.
Though much restored this work may originally have
been of the 16th or 17th century.
The roofs throughout are modern, reproducing the
pitch of ancient roofs which had subsequently been
lowered.
The lowest stage of the tower (pre-Conquest) shows
long and short work in its western quoins, and some,
probably Roman, brickbats in its rubble. On both
north and south sides are small single-light windows,
round-headed, but 13th-century; above this stage there
is a string-course on the north and south sides. The
next stage has similar windows on the north, west, and
south sides, and a string-course on the north side only.
The third stage has on the north the round arches and
jambs of a pre-Conquest two-light window whose mid-wall shaft has perished (a modern two-light window
like those in the uppermost stage occupies its place);
on the south side below a modern stone clock dial the
remains of the jambs of a similar window are traceable;
on the west are still more doubtful remains of a window.
The uppermost stage has on the west face a window
like that on the north of the stage below, the mid-wall
shaft, with carved capital (of a form suggesting post-Conquest work) exists here; on the other three faces
are square two-light windows with trefoil-headed lights,
15th-century; this stage ends with a corbel-table and
is surmounted by a broach spire.
The font (late-12th-century) is an octagonal block
with plain sunk round-headed panels; it rests on five
shafts, one thick, the rest slender, which have no capitals
but a moulded base.
Of the ancient stall-work one bench-end survives,
its arm-rest being carved with a representation of an
angel. (fn. 97)
In the chancel is a large wooden chest with front and
back of three planks each, framed ends, and single-slab
lid; it has two tills, one secret; this is 13th-century work.
The other fittings are modern.
There are six bells: (fn. 98) (1) and (2) by Richard Phelps,
dated 1713 and 1709 respectively; (3) dated 1665;
(4) dated 1572; (5) by Clement Toscar 1688; and
(6) by W. and T. Mears, 1787.
The communion plate includes a plain silver cup
given by George, Lord Berkeley, in 1675, and a paten
of 1692 given by Dr. Henry Edes. (fn. 99)
The registers begin in 1557.
ADVOWSON
Bosham can claim to be the most
ancient site in Sussex with a continuous
tradition of Christianity. When St.
Wilfrid came to convert the South Saxons in 681 there
was already, according to Bede, a small Celtic monastery
at Bosham, with five or six brethren under the headship
of Dicul. As late as 1637 'the ruynes of an out worne
foundation' near the church were still pointed out as
'St. Bede's Chapel', (fn. 100) but all memory of the spot has
long been lost. The history of the church as a collegiate establishment has been already dealt with. The
nave of the church was parochial and the services were
conducted by a perpetual vicar presented by the canon
holding the Parochial Prebend. The vicarage was
rated at £4 6s. 8d. in 1291 (fn. 101) and at £6 13s. 4d. in
1535. (fn. 102) After the suppression of the college in 1548
the advowson remained in the hands of the Crown until
about 1613, (fn. 103) after which date it was held by the Dean
and Chapter of Chichester or their lessee until it passed
to the bishop under the Act of 1840.
In 1330 licence was given for the alienation in mortmain by Laurence de Rustiton and James de Northstok
of some 40 acres to Mr. William de Fisshebourne,
Prebendary of Funtington, to support a chaplain celebrating daily in the church of Bosham for the good
estate of Thomas, Earl of Norfolk, and for the soul of
Alice his wife. (fn. 104) This was the chantry of the Blessed
Mary in the nave of Bosham church to which several
presentations were made by the Prebendaries of Funtington during the 15th century. (fn. 105) At the suppression
of the chantries in 1548 it was called the Chantry of
Fishbourne, its yearly value being 40, (fn. 106) and its lands
were granted to Henry Polsted. (fn. 107)
CHARITIES
Elizabeth Beazley.
The share of the
charity of Elizabeth Beazley applicable
for this parish consists of an annual payment of £1 applied by the vicar and churchwardens
for the benefit of the poor of the parish.
Elizabeth Nash.
By an indenture dated 10 November 1716 Elizabeth Nash granted to trustees certain
lands in Sidlesham upon trust that out of the rents and
profits 20s. be paid to the minister of Walberton for
the benefit of the poor of that parish and that the
remainder of the income should be divided into three
parts, one part to be applied for the parish of Boxgrove,
another part for the parish of Bury and the tything of
Westburton, and the remaining part for this parish.
The third part of the income for this parish is applicable
for poor people, being sick, lame, ancient, and most
needy, in money, clothes, or other necessaries. The
annual income amounts to £5 approximately and is
administered by the vicar and churchwardens.
Catherine Joanna Preece by her will dated 19 June
1940 bequeathed her property known as Pearcey's
Cottage, Bosham, to the Roman Catholic Bishop of
Southwark for the benefit of the Roman Catholic Mission in Bosham.
George Frank Graham Rochfort Wade by his will
dated 31 July 1936 bequeathed £200 upon trust to form
the May Rochfort Wade Fund, the annual income to be
divided on 6 May in every year between the four oldest
male old-age pensioners and the four oldest female oldage pensioners, all eight being natives of and living in
Bosham. By a scheme of the Charity Commissioners
dated 23 January 1940 it was provided that the charity
shall be administered by the vicar and churchwardens
of Bosham. The annual income amounts to £8 3s. 10d.