The Aftermath
Battle Abbey was founded in about 1070. The Normans were ordered by the Pope
to do penance that year to atone for the slaughter incurred during the conquest
of England. As part of this penance William promised to build an Abbey on the
battlefield and that the high altar of the abbey church should be placed over
the spot where Harold fell. Monks from the abbey of Marmoutier on the Loire
in France were invited to come over and found the abbey. It is said that the
monks were not pleased with the placing of the abbey and moved the foundations
further to the west. William, upon hearing this disregard to his wishes was
furious and ordered the monks to go back to the ridge and build their monastery
there.
Ships were sent to Normandy to fetch tons of the high quality grey-white stone
from Caen. All construction material costs were met by William's treasury and
he endowed the abbey with rich manors and a prospering church at Cullompton
in Devonshire. He also granted the abbot supreme jurisdiction over the land
for a distance of one league, known as a 'leuga', the word representing a league.
Some time in 1070 or 1071, building work began, with the first structure being
the abbey church itself, whose east end was finished within six years. The rest
of the church was completed by about 1094 and consecrated by the archbishop
of Canterbury in the presence of the Conqueror's son, William II (Rufus).
After King Harold's defeat at Hastings there was little opposition in the
south-east, but in the north, south-west and the Fens, sporadic resistance continued
for several years. Because of it's important situation, being the main communication
route with Normandy, it was vital that Sussex remained secure. To this end Sussex
was divided into 'Rapes', or administrative divisions which ran from south to
north, each with a main port and each controlling a main route to the north.
These rapes were given to William's most trusted Norman Barons and strong castles
were built to defend these roads, harbours and ports.
The strongest of these feudal barons was Roger of Montgomery, who held the
combined rapes of Chichester and Arundel. At that time Chichester was both port
and fortified garrison point and although their are no remains of the castle
to be seen, the motte is still in place within the old city walls in Priory
Park. A castle protected the route inland on St.Anne's Hill, Midhurst.
Arundel was practically a new town with the castle sited on a hill above (within
the walls of the castle as it stands today can be seen the original Motte and
Bailey). Between these two rapes, Roger held eighty-three manors which were
in turn leased to lesser figures in the Norman hierachy. There were very few
Saxon names holding land at this time because most had fought at the Battle
of Hastings and whoever took up arms against the Norman's, whether they survived
or not, had their land seized.
East of Arundel came the rape
of William de Braose which centered on the castle of Bramber, which at that
time commanded the wide estuary of the Adur river and protected the port of
Steyning. A line of garrison posts was built to the wealden route to the
north.
East again brought you to the rape of Lewes. The castle guarded the estuary
of the Ouse along with the towns of Newhaven, Seaford and Lewes itself.
Further east was the rape of Pevensey and the remains of the original Roman
fortifications. The Norman's utilised these remains and built a massive keep
around and over the Roman walls.
Lastly came the rape of Hasting's. This was a place of some importance and
had possessed a mint since the 10th century and in the 12th century became the
most important port in the south-east.
Within twenty years of the Battle of Hasting's, the Domesday survey was carried
out and this gave a good picture of the state of Sussex at the beginning of
the Norman period. Most settlements were sited on or close to the coastal regions
with few villages stretching into the forest areas, these were left mainly to
the charcoal burners and forest workers. Many villages had 'Pannage' rights
which allowed them to feed their pigs on fallen acorns and beech mast.
The agricultural communities
had for the most part, a recognizable feudal pattern. The biggest group
were called villani or villagers and accounted for just over half the population.
This group shared the common fields of the village and gave payment and services
to the Lord of the Manor.
Next came the 'Bordars' who
had smaller holdings than the villagers and totalled around a quarter of the
population. The 'Cottars' came next with little or no land and worked
for the main part for their neighbours. Lastly came the 'Serfs', they
held no property and mostly worked for the Lord of the Manor as household servants.
The greatest changes took place
in the central weald and many new towns and villages grew up and by the twelfth
century it was peppered with new settlements, some of which had representatives
in Parliament. Many new churches were built and enlarged during this time.
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