Page:Notes on the churches in the counties of Kent, Sussex, and Surrey.djvu/240

194 episcopal authority. See the Diploma of William (in Selden's Notes to the Works of Eadmer in Anselm's Works, 112, ed. 1721.) Battle is even now an exempt parish, as the incumbent, who bears the title of "dean," "holds his own visitation, his own court for probate of wills," &c. (Horsfield's Sussex.) Parry says (Coast of Suss. 310), the lord of the manor appoints a coroner, who is, or was, styled "The Abbot."—After his account of the battle of Hastings and the foundation of the abbey, Dr. Lappenberg remarks (Thorpe's Translation, II, 301), " All these visible monuments of the battle of Senlac and the conquest of England are no more; crumbled and fallen are the once lofty walls of Battle Abbey, and by a few foundation-stones in the midst of a swamp are we alone able to determine the spot, where it once reared its towers and pinnacles," &c. The remains of the abbey consist indeed partially of ruins, but are much more considerable, than the preceding quotation would imply; and, far from standing "in the midst of a swamp," the mansion, to which they are attached, adjoins the high street of the town of Battle, and from them the ground may be said to fall in nearly every direction. It is asserted, that the district around Battle is called Leuga (Lew, or Lowy). (Parry's Coast of Suss. 312, the Monasticon being alleged as the authority.)

20. .—Tanner speaks of a monastery here in the beginning of the ninth century. (Monast. VI, 1624.) Nothing definite appears to be known of this foundation, the situation of which is totally lost. It may possibly have been that of St. Andrew, noticed below under Seaford. A charter of Cœnulf, king of Mercia, A.D. 801, distinctly speaks of a monastery at this place, "monasterium in Beadyngham," as then existing. (Cod. Dipl. V, 63.) A document of rather later date, namely, A.D. 825, again mentions the church of "Bedingehommes;" the same subject as that of Cœnulf's charter having been debated in a synod at Clobesham, "Cloveshoo" we may conclude, in the year last named. (Ib. V, 75.) These old records may have been Bp. Tanner's authority.

21. .—The second Domesday church and the position of it seem to be identified below. In (A.D. 1291) this place is mentioned as "Ecclia de Sela;" in the (Nonæ Roll) it is styled "Sele;" in (Val. Eccl.) occurring as "Sela alias Beding." The vicarage house and garden, on the northern side of the existing parish church, are considered to occupy the site of the priory of Sela, of which not a vestige is visible.—