Page:Notes on the churches in the counties of Kent, Sussex, and Surrey.djvu/326

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266
NOTES TO SUSSEX.

possessed its chapel at the period of the Nonæ Return about A.D. 1341. Mankesey, now called Manxey, was even styled a parish in 1477, and a piece of land there is yet named "Church Acre." (Chronicles of Pevensey, 51, 52, 53: which work contains likewise a more detailed description than the above of Pevensey church.) For chapels in Pevensey Level see also the Notes on Hailsham and Willingdon.—Pevensey castle is particularly deserving of attention. Great part of the outer wall, inclosing an area of nearly ten acres, is entire, especially at the entrance, and it may be traced clearly where it has fallen. This is an undoubted Roman structure, and the spots, where the masonry was repaired, when the ruins were converted into an English fortress, are easily, on careful examination, to be distinguished from the original work. The old walls must have been in ruins before the landing of K. William I, and though a small addition of Norman character proves that some attention was paid to the ancient fortress, no visible part of the keep is in the Norm. style, so far as I am able to judge; but the few remaining mouldings and the contour of the arches bear such a resemblance to those of the church, as to afford strong reason to believe, that both edifices belong to the same period, or nearly so. In the breach of the Roman wall, which the more modern keep occupied, one of the original towers was thrown down, apparently from being undermined in some manner; and as it rested in a sloping position upon the ground as firmly as rock, the builders of the keep adopted it into their plan by constructing upon it the exterior approach to a sally-port or postern-gate. For fuller particulars consult the (Chronicles of Pevensey). In the Archæol. Journal (IV, 203 to 217,) the writer has endeavoured to show, at some length, that Pevensey possesses a title to be considered the site of the Romano-British city of Anderida or Andredesceaster far superior to those of any other spots, in favour of which that claim has been advanced hitherto. (See also Arch. Journ. V, 229.) This subject has been resumed in the present work under Newenden, Kent.

195. Piddinghoe.—The church now comprises chancel, nave with north aisle and south porch, and western tower with a shingled spire. The nave had formerly a south aisle, which is now destroyed; and the chancel had north and south chapels, also removed. The nave-roof is high-pitched, and extends over the aisle. The chancel arch is lofty and handsome, but the east window is walled up. In the churchyard stands, as a grave-