1. Grant by Duke William to the Church of the Holy Trinity at Fécamp.

Of the land of Steyning [co. Sussex]; the Duke gave seisin to the Church by the token of a knife, before he went to England; the grant to take effect if God should give him victory in England.

Witnesses: Aymeri the vicomte; Richard fitz Gilbert; Pons.*

This is a note of the very first Anglo-Norman charter recorded by William the Conqueror in 1066. It is an oath sworn upon a knife, which sends a shiver down the spine. William's grant is conditional upon his conquest of England, which is even more curious. The Norman fleet has not yet crossed the sea! On the eve of the most famous event in English history, Steyning is the subject of an extraordinary bargain offered by Duke William, "if god should give him victory".

Saint Andrew's Church, Steyning

Why Steyning? Today it is a picturesque little town nestled beneath the South Downs in West Sussex, with an ancient church now dedicated to Saint Andrew. The church was founded by a Saxon saint, Cuthman. Pilgrims once flocked to his shrine and King Aethelwulf was buried there in the year 858. Strange to say, Steyning was also a powerful justification for Duke William's attack against King Harold.

The Bayeaux Tapestry tells the conquest story as the Normans wanted it to be remembered. This is still the version most familiar to us today. King Edward the Confessor promised Duke William the crown of England and Earl Harold swore upon two caskets of holy relics to support the Norman succession. When Edward died, Harold broke his solemn promise and took the crown for himself.

William made a great deal of Harold's oath after the Conquest, but the story was not a very persuasive call to arms when William first proposed his dangerous adventure. Harold was an impressive leader who had been annointed before God and crowned in peace by the will of his people. There were further Norman accusations about malpractice in the English Church but these only brought to mind the similar or worse condition of other European churches, including Normandy itself.

Duke William had another charge against his rival. It was that Harold witheld for himself what Edward the Confessor had given to the Abbey of Fécamp in Normandy, namely Steyning and its church. This accusation was broadly true. It was, more importantly, dramatic proof of Harold's contempt for the Roman Church because of the special status included with King Edward's gift. Steyning had been taken out of the control of the English bishops and given into the personal charge of the Pope. Depriving the Pope of his dominion was an exceptionally serious offence.

William's damning propaganda against Harold won him papal support. The Roman Church was ever seeking to tighten its grip on European politics and to enforce the obedience of kings. The Pope gave William a consecrated banner and some holy relics to rally troops for the coming battle. King Harold was excommunicated. Papal approval was the deciding factor which gained William the coalition of support necessary for his high risk venture. Powerful men flocked to his banner, encouraged and excited by the prospect of a Holy War or Crusade.

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