BOSHAM CHURCH – West Sussex

Bosham is one of the earliest places of Christian worship in West Sussex and perhaps the most well-known. The church is represented in the Bayeux Tapestry, which features the events leading to the Duke William of Normandy’s conquest of England in 1066.

There’s a long-held tradition that early in the 11th century, King Canute’s daughter was drowned in the millstream near the church and was buried there. In 1865, a little stone coffin was discovered in front of the chancel arch.

By the start of the 5th century, the Roman occupation of Britain had ended. In his book ‘A history of the English Church and People’, the Venerable Bede documented that an Irish monk named Dicul ran a small monastery in a place called Bosanham, a spot that was bounded by woods and the sea. In it were six brethren who served the Lord in a life of poverty and humility. However, none of the natives cared either to imitate their life or listen to their preaching. From Bede’s writings, we can assume there was a timber building where Dicul and his brethren resided, located maybe on or close to the site of the later stone-built church. So, it seems Christianity was being preached in Bosham at this time.

It was in the early part of the 11th century that Godwin, the father of the future King Harold, began his climb to power. As Earl of Wessex, Godwin had accumulated enormous wealth, land, and property. This included the secular Manor of Bosham. It could be that the Saxon fabric of the church, which has continued to this day, was constructed under the backing of Godwin. When Godwin died in 1053, he was one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in the country. He passed much of his wealth and property to his son Harold Godwinson, the future King Harold.

Perhaps the most well-known fact about Bosham is the Church and manor house are represented in the Bayeux Tapestry. The reason why is because Harold’s primary home was in Bosham, which he stayed in before embarking on his ill-fated journey to Normandy in 1064.

In the first scene of the Bayeux Tapestry, Harold is shown with King Edward the Confessor. Who, it is alleged, is ordering Harold to go to Normandy to disclose to William, Duke of Normandy, that he, William, is to be the next King of England. In the subsequent scene, Harold and his entourage are revealed riding to Bosham. Harold is then shown entering the church and later dining at his manor house before sailing from Bosham to Normandy.

The first building we know of for sure dates to the 10th century. Traces of the Saxon building remain in the courses of the stonework in the west tower. Set in the floor in front of the chancel arch is a modern-day memorial to the eight-year-old daughter of King Canute. She was heartbreakingly drowned at Bosham sometime around 1020. The church is the traditional burial place of his little daughter. It’s said she drowned in a nearby river. Now, such tales are often assumed to be just more than romantic tales, but in this case, the tale may have some genuineness in it.

A stone coffin was discovered in 1865. Within the coffin was a small skeleton of the right age, and dating to the early part of the 11th century. We cannot be sure it was the skeleton of the princess, but the evidence proposes some truth in this old tale. The skeleton was then reburied with honour in front of the chancel arch.

Workmen replacing some stones under the chancel arch in 1954 rediscovered the stone coffin. They also found a tomb comprising a headless and legless skeleton. The coffin was then resealed after inspection by a coroner.