By Victoria Evans, Searchroom Archivist
With the imminent beginning of the exhibition at the British Museum, we thought it was a perfect time to look into Bosham’s connection to the Bayeux Tapestry. The tapestry is nearly 70 metres long, and it is quite an honour that one of our parishes features!
Christianity has most likely been present in Bosham for over 2,000 years and the site where the church was built was originally a Roman Basilica. However, not much of this remains to be seen today as only the bases of the chancel arch are left from this period. The building we see today is mainly Saxon. The first parts were built in the early 11th century during the reign of Canute, who may have had a Manor at Bosham. A daughter of Canute was said to be buried at Bosham church too, when a small Saxon stone coffin which reportedly contained the remains of a child was uncovered in 1865. However, it has since been proved that this coffin dates from around the 12th or 13th century, not from the 11th when Canute reigned. Exact dating of the coffin has not yet been confirmed.
Looking further into the construction of the church, the tower was built in three stages, and Roman bricks were used to build the lower section of the tower. There is a small Saxon window on top which was used by a lookout as the entrance of the harbour can be monitored for raiders. If the alarm was sounded, the villagers would have had time to take refuge in the church behind the strong oak door and high windows. The spire was a later addition in the 14th century. The chancel was also built in three stages over history: Saxon stonework first, then came the herringbone stonework of the Normans and lastly, stonework in the style of the Early English.
Photographs of Bosham Church taken by Victoria Evans, Searchroom Archivist
Bosham woven into the Bayeux Tapestry
The tapestry depicts Harold arriving at Bosham and entering the church with a companion to most likely pray. It then shows him and others having a feast at his manor house before he embarks upon his journey to Normandy, setting off down the Bosham Channel. The manor house is something of a mystery as it does not stand today, but in recent years, archaeologists have reinterpreted previous evidence from 2006 and concluded they had found Harold’s residence in Bosham. This was proven by evidence of a toilet within a large timber house. The presence of a toilet in a Saxon home points to the high status of the individual who once resided there. You can read more about this research in the article, ‘Where power lies: Lordly Power Centres in the English Landscape c800-1200’, that was published in The Antiquaries Journal in 2024.
Looking to the Domesday Book from1086, we can get a sense of what Bosham was like just after the Bayeux Tapestry was most likely made. As Harold Godwinson was crowned King in January 1066, the secular Manor of Bosham became a royal one. And when William the Conqueror became King in December 1066, following the Battle of Hasting in October 1066, this manor was automatically his to own. For this reason, Bosham is the first place mentioned in the Sussex section of the Domesday Book.
The royal manor, Land of King William, consisted of:
- Households: 39 villagers. 51 smallholders. 17 slaves.
- Ploughland: 7 lord’s plough teams. 19 men’s plough teams.
Other resources: Woodland 6 swine render. 8 mills, value 3 pounds 17 shillings and 5 pence. 2 fisheries. 1 church.
- Annual value to lord: 40 pounds in 1086; 40 pounds when acquired by the 1086 owner; 40 pounds in 1066.
The ecclesiastical manor, Land of the Bishop of Exeter (St Peter), consisted of:
- Households: 56 villagers. 28 smallholders. 2 slaves. 1 priest.
- Ploughland: 5 lord’s plough teams. 17.5 men’s plough teams.
Other resources: Meadow 12 acres. 3 mills, value 14 shillings. 1 salthouse. 1 church.
- Annual value to lord: 29 pounds 5 shillings in 1086; 50 pounds when acquired by the 1086 owner; 300 pounds in 1066.
From the Bosham section of Open Domesday website by Anna Powell-Smith
The manors of Bosham were considerably wealthy and powerful too! Looking to a close neighbouring parish of Bosham that was neither royal or ecclesiastical, we can see the stark differences. Itchenor, Land of Earl Roger (of Shrewsbury), consisted of:
- Households: 3 villagers. 3 smallholders.
- Ploughland: 1 ploughland. 1 lord’s plough teams. 1 men’s plough teams.
Other resources: Meadow 1 acres.
- Annual value to lord: 1 pound 2 shillings in 1086; 15 shillings when acquired by the 1086 owner; 1 pound in 1066.
From the Itchenor section of Open Domesday website by Anna Powell-Smith
If you were lucky enough to have secured tickets to go and see the Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum, enjoy! And if you missed out the first time, you can sign up on the museum’s website to hear when the next batch of tickets will be available. Good luck!
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