| Summary : The Benedictine alien priory of Sele was founded before 1096 at the extant church of St Peter, Beeding, (TQ11SE81), and suppressed in 1396. Refounded 1396 as a priory and dissolved in 1480. In 1459 it was appropriated by Magdalene College, Oxford. The priory was granted to the Carmelites of Shoreham in 1493 (TQ20SW1) and they moved into the abandoned Benedictine priory. The Carmelite house was dissolved in 1538. The present vicarage built in 1792 stands on the site of, and probably incorporates material of the priory. Excavations under the lawn at the vicarage have discovered parts of the priory. |
More information : (TQ 19271116) The Priory on site of (TI) Convent of Sele (GT)
(TQ 19281113) St Peter's Ch (TU)(1)
Alien Benedictine priory of Sele founded before 1096 and dissolved 1396. Refounded 1396 as a priory and dissolved in 1480. The priory was granted to the Carmelites of Shoreham in 1493 and they moved into the abandoned Benedictine priory. The Carmelite house was dissolved in 1538. The present vicarage built in 1792 stands on the site of, and probably incorporates material of the priory.
St Peter's church 14th, 16thc, and modern was the church of the Benedictine Priory and incorporates material from the old priory. There was formerly a Saxon church on the site.(2-3)
There are no visible remains of the priory, but a plan of the buildings was recovered by excavation, according to the land-owner, Mrs Belson, of The Priory, by the W Sussex Arch Group in 1967, under Mr Kay. The excavations were located under the lawn at the rear of the house at TQ 19291116, but were afterwards filled in, and the turf was relaid. "The Priory", a large private house of L18thc style, is built of plastered brick except for the rear wall which is of flint and stone, probably re-used materials from the site of the priory.
The parish church is as described. There is no Saxon work visible in its construction. Site of excavations surveyed at 1:2500(4) |