St Wilfrid's Saxon church
Church Norton owed its importance to St Wilfrid - the brave northern bishop who attempted to introduce Christianity into pagan Sussex in the 8th century.
Selsey - meaning Seal Island - was particularly isolated in Saxon times. St Wilfrid established his headquarters here at Church Norton and it remained a hub of Christianity in Sussex until the Normans built their grand cathedral at Chichester.
The shift in the location of the cathedral led to a huge change in the importance of Church Norton - today it would be hard to find a quieter place.
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