Selsey Timeline
Key events from 16 October 1987 to present
Discover the key moments that shaped Selsey. Explore the events that define our community.
16 October 1987
The Great Storm Hits Selsey
The great storm of October 1987 struck Selsey with exceptional force, causing widespread damage to properties, trees and infrastructure. Wind speeds w...
c. 500-600 AD
Selsey as 'Seal Island' in the Saxon Period
The name Selsey derives from the Old English 'Seolsey', meaning seal island, reflecting the fact that in the early Saxon period Selsey was effectively...
681 AD
Saint Wilfrid Founds the Bishopric of Selsey
In 681 AD, Saint Wilfrid of York arrived in the kingdom of the South Saxons, one of the last pagan areas of England, and established a monastery and e...
1075
The Bishopric Moves from Selsey to Chichester
Following the Norman Conquest, a council held at London in 1075 decreed that episcopal sees should be moved from villages to towns. Bishop Stigand, th...
c. 1200-1500
Medieval Fishing Settlement
After the loss of the bishopric in 1075, Selsey settled into its role as a small fishing village at the end of the Manhood Peninsula. The community de...
1536-1540
Dissolution of the Monasteries Affects Selsey
The dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII had a direct impact on Selsey and the surrounding area. Monastic lands on the Manhood Peninsula, i...
c. 1700-1900
Centuries of Coastal Erosion at Selsey
Selsey has lost significant amounts of land to the sea over the centuries. The original site of the Saxon cathedral at the southern end of the peninsu...
1861
RNLI Lifeboat Station Established at Selsey
The RNLI established a lifeboat station at Selsey in 1861, recognising the hazards posed by the rocky shoals and strong tidal currents around Selsey B...
1897
The Hundred of Manhood and Selsey Tramway Opens
In August 1897, a light railway known as the Hundred of Manhood and Selsey Tramway opened, connecting Selsey with Chichester via Sidlesham and the vil...
1914-1918
Selsey During the First World War
During the First World War, Selsey's position on the south coast brought the conflict close to home. Naval activity in the English Channel was visible...
1935
The Selsey Tramway Closes
The Hundred of Manhood and Selsey Tramway, which had connected Selsey with Chichester since 1897, closed on 19 January 1935. The tramway had never bee...
1939-1945
Second World War Coastal Defences
Selsey's exposed position on the south coast made it a front-line location during the Second World War. Concrete pillboxes, anti-tank obstacles and ba...
1943-1944
Mulberry Harbour Components Tested off Selsey
During the preparations for D-Day, the waters off Selsey were used for testing components of the Mulberry harbours, the prefabricated floating harbour...
1950s-1960s
Holiday Park Development on the Western Coast
In the post-war decades, Selsey's western coastline was developed with caravan and holiday parks that would transform the town's economy. What began a...
2013
Medmerry Managed Realignment Scheme Opens
In November 2013, the Medmerry managed coastal realignment scheme was completed, the largest of its kind in Europe at that time. The Environment Agenc...
2017
New RNLI Lifeboat Station Completed
In 2017, a new RNLI lifeboat station was completed at Selsey Bill, replacing the previous facility. The new station is a modern structure built on sti...