Dissolution of the Monasteries Affects Selsey

1536-1540

The dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII had a direct impact on Selsey and the surrounding area. Monastic lands on the Manhood Peninsula, including holdings that had once supported the old cathedral establishment, were seized by the Crown and subsequently granted or sold to lay landowners. The pattern of land ownership on the peninsula was reshaped, with estates passing into the hands of local gentry. The religious significance of the Church Norton site diminished further, though the chapel continued in use. The dissolution marked the final severing of Selsey's ancient link with the church establishment that had defined the settlement since 681 AD.