!) 
of Purbeck marble. Camden states in his Britannia: “ In this Isle 
remaineth only the dead carkase as it were of that antient little citie, 
hidden quite with water at every tide, but at low-water evident and 
plaine to be seen.” 
The Bishop’s Park, as the shore and sands are still called, extended 
for many acres on the south-east coast, and the remaining fragment 
has still the name of Park Coppice. The village occupied nearly the 
centre of the island before the reduction of its boundary by the sea: 
on a moderate calculation, the sea has gained more than a mile on 
this shore since its cathedral was established. 
In the year 1075 the episcopal see was removed from Selsey to 
Chichester. Wilfrid was the first bishop of Selsey, a.p. 680: Sti- 
gand was the first bishop of Chichester, a.p. 1070; twenty-two 
bishops having resided at Selsey. 
The derivation of the name Selsey, or Sealsea, is, according to the 
historian Bede, from the number of seals which used to abound on 
the coast ; but according to others, and with greater probability, Sed 
was adopted from the British language by the Saxons, and. signifies 
great, or good, or fertile, when applied to soil. 
The houses are built of an arenaceous limestone, similar to the 
But yet *tis said, at midnight’s fearful tide, 
When wintry storms m angry surges sweep 
The shore, complaining spirits from the deep 
Pour forth their melancholy voices wide, 
Speaking an awful tale of former days, 
How holy men were torn from saintly graves, 
Their bones neglected,—scatter’d by the waves. 
Rest, troubled spirits; and to Him give praise 
Whom storms and tides obey ;—direct thy care 
To Heaven, not earth, for all’s recorded there. 
Sonnet on Selsey Cathedral. 
C 
