Churches in Selsey
Places of worship and their community role
Selsey has a religious heritage that stretches back to 681 AD, when Saint Wilfrid established the seat of the South Saxon bishops here. While the cathedral has been gone for nearly a thousand years, the church continues to play an important role in the life of the town.
St Peter's Church is the Church of England parish church, standing in the town centre just off the High Street. St Peter's is a nineteenth-century building that replaced earlier churches on the site. The church holds regular Sunday services, baptisms, weddings and funerals, and is a gathering point for the community at times of celebration and mourning. The churchyard is well maintained, and the building is a recognisable landmark in the centre of Selsey.
Church Norton Chapel, the remains of the original Saxon and medieval church on the northern edge of the parish, is still consecrated and holds occasional services during the summer months. The chapel stands in a peaceful churchyard overlooking Pagham Harbour, among ancient yew trees, and its atmosphere is quite different from the town-centre bustle around St Peter's. The site attracts visitors interested in its Saxon heritage as well as regular worshippers.
Other denominations are represented in Selsey. The Methodist church and other nonconformist groups provide alternative places of worship and contribute their own social and community activities. The Roman Catholic community is served by provision in the wider area.
Beyond their spiritual function, the churches serve a vital social role in Selsey. Coffee mornings, lunch clubs, toddler groups, craft sessions and community gatherings are hosted in church halls throughout the week. For older residents in particular, the church-based social groups provide regular human contact, a cup of tea and a sense of belonging. The pastoral support offered by clergy and church volunteers extends beyond the congregation to the wider community.
The fundraising activities of the churches, including fetes, sales of work and seasonal events, are woven into the community calendar. Harvest festivals, Remembrance Sunday services, Christmas carol services and Easter celebrations mark the turning of the year and bring the community together.
Selsey's churches are rooted in a heritage that is longer and deeper than most communities can claim. The knowledge that bishops governed from this very ground thirteen centuries ago gives the local church a historical resonance that enriches its present-day role.