Page:Notes on the churches in the counties of Kent, Sussex, and Surrey.djvu/218

172 present in the parish of East Dean. It could not be Halnaker, because "Helnache" is separately named more than once.

I have failed in verifying, comparatively, more single Domesday churches in Sussex, than in either of the other counties included in this undertaking; because the assistance to be derived from topographical historians is far less with regard to Sussex, than to either Kent or Surrey. In this county moreover there has been a considerable alteration with regard to the hundreds; and it appears to me, that those divisions have been less closely attended to in the Domesday Survey of Sussex, than in that of the other two counties.

Some interesting information relating to the early condition of this part of our island may be collected from Bede's Ecclesiastical History. The Saxon inhabitants of the district were the last throughout England to receive the light of the Gospel. Ædilvalch, king of the South Saxons, had indeed been baptised in Mercia about A.D. 661, but his people remained pagans till converted by the ministrations of Bishop Wilfrid; who, being expelled from his See of York on account of having excited the displeasure of his Sovereign, rather than continue inactive, undertook the evangelisation of this province, from A.D. 681 to 686, when the population is stated to have comprised 7000 families. For three years before Wilfrid's arrival a grievous famine had prevailed in Sussex in consequence of the want of rain, which, it is stated, fell copiously on the very day when the people were baptised. The Bishop however provided, to the best of his ability, against the recurrence of a similar calamity, by teaching the method of sea fishing, of which previously the natives were ignorant, though both sea and fresh water abounded in fish, of which the people had been accustomed to catch only eels. Eelnets therefore were the only kind, which Bishop Wilfrid was able to collect for his benevolent operations. (Bedæ Hist. Eccl. 1. 4, c. 13.)

In general estimation the existing ancient Churches of Sussex, it is well known, rank very low; but perhaps the notices, hereto appended, may serve somewhat to qualify this opinion: and happy will the writer feel, should he contribute to the removal of a stigma, only partially merited. It is freely admitted, that many of the buildings are very unpretending structures, while