A HISTORY OF SUSSEX earlier than the middle of the seventh century, and the warfare of 607 may have resulted in some permanent West Saxon settlement. Further, if the battle of 568 was really fought at Wimbledon, it is by no means impossible that Sussex as well as Surrey suffered from the prowess and ambition of Wessex in the latter half of the sixth century. Certain curious parallels in cemeteries north and south of the Weald have already been referred to. An interesting relic ' of later Anglo-Saxon times is figured in the first volume of the Sussex Archaeological Collections, and was found in 1 847 at Willingdon, in cutting the branch railway from Polegate to East- bourne. This is a casket of cast lead 12 inches long, with a breadth of 10 or II inches and a depth of 7 ; and the sockets of iron handles for lifting remain on two sides. On both the other and longer sides is a triangular device of interlaced work, including a cross ; and in addi- tion to this the vessel is ornamented with a lozengy pattern of corded work, which was commonly employed on lead coffins of the Roman period. Though there is little to show the purpose for which it was made, there is every reason to agree with the date assigned to it by the owner, for the knot-work is characteristic of the tenth century. All the finds that now remain to be noticed are of coins dating from the period between the full establishment of Christianity in Sussex, and the landing of another conqueror at Pevensey. Though such hoards have a value of their own, they do not at that comparatively late period throw much light on the origin or condition of the inhabi- tants, and may therefore be dealt with in a summary fashion. The discovery of a single Saxon penny at Milton Street near Alfriston led in 1 843 to the recovery of about sixty more in a field where two had been found some fifteen years before that date. Though this total was reached only by careful sifting of the earth, it is not un- likely that they formed part of a hoard which had been deposited in the days of Edward the Confessor (about 1060), for many varieties of his coinage are represented as well as twelve pennies of Cnut, two of Harold I. and one of Harthacnut. Four pieces are from Sussex mints : a Cnut from Chichester, an Edward from both Lewes and Hastings, and a Harthacnut from Hastings, struck by the same moneyer as the last, three of these being figured in the original account contributed to the first volume of the Sussex Archaeological Collections (p. 38). What is generally known as the Chanctonbury hoard is of consider- able importance. In 1868 Mr. J. C. Lucas wrote of the site as follows : ' The manor of Chancton, of which Chancton Farm was the demesne, is situated in the parish of Washington, about one mile north of Chanctonbury Ring. In the time of Edward the Confessor it belonged to Harold's brother, Gurth. The Old Manor House has long dis- appeared, and the farmhouse which stood on its site is remembered only traditionally. A barn, cattle-shed and yard marked the site until 1865, and on their removal the ground was planted, and a few coins of » Illustrated in Journ. Brit. Arch. Assoc, iii. i6o. It is now in Lewes Museum. 348
