Talk:Selsey

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Is there a Cathedral out at sea or is this urban legend? I know the Cathedral used to be at Norton in the 11th Century, but have not heard any fact surrounding the sea based cathedral, any ideas?

There's been significant sea level change in the English channel, and/or erosion, over the last 2000 years. They found a chapel off the south coast of Hayling Island (underwater) recently, and looked through the medieval documents; discovered it as listed as being in the middle of the island. Also, Julius Caesar wrote about his invasions, and specifically mentions that his soldiers could wade across the Solent to the Isle of Wight (try that today!). I don't think there's been much investigative archaeology off Selsey (digging underwater is hard work) but I encountered some references to the settlement being lost a couple of years back. Its mostly inferred from a fair amount of documentary evidence, I think, with the geography supporting it.

Norton (The Mount; Pagham Harbour) is listed as "Earthwork remains of an C11 ringwork castle; traces of possible Iron Age occupation were found; Neolithic scrapers and other worked flints were found during excavations. Roman tile and pottery may indicate the site of a villa. Had been identified as an Elizabethan battery. Excavated in 1911, 1965 and 1980."^[1]

Graldensblud 23:11, 17 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Inundation

Your article refers to inundation and also speaks of erosion. Apparently there are underwater ruins, too? It would be nice if you would tell us the story! I got here through the article on Ys that mentions the fact that many of the lands around the English Channel have been inundated, so I am looking for info on that. Was it flooded, or eroded? When did this happen? What do the underwater ruins, if any, consist of?

Amity150 06:16, 24 June 2007 (UTC)

I don't have specifics, but i read not long ago of an early mediaeval church being found off the south coast of hayling island, where the only documentary reference to a church in such a position was to it standing in the middle of the island. This was claimed at the time i read it to be representative of the sort of sea level change we know has to have occurred re the wading across the solent the romans undertook. 82.10.108.49 (talk) 10:27, 15 December 2007 (UTC)

Southern Britain is still slowly sinking after being lifted during the last ice age, in response to northern Britain being pressed down by the huge weight of ice on the north. I forget how fast, maybe half a centimetre per year, but significant over two thousand years. Some alleged buildings in the sea have been shown to be natural rock outcrops, and wave action is likely to have destroyed anything that had not allready been salvaged by the locals.--Charles (talk) 11:52, 24 February 2008 (UTC)

They are currently pioneering some interesting technology for seabed scanning at Dunwich, one to watch I suspect. 82.10.108.49 (talk) 20:48, 11 June 2008 (UTC)