Frank Brangwyn - St Wilfred First Bishop of Selsey Teaching the South Saxons - c1920
The panels are painted in tempera which gives them their luminous quality. They follow in a long tradition of wall painting in Sussex which stretches back to Saxon times. I am therefore particularly struck by the panel depicting St Wilfrid () who converted the South Saxons to Christianity when he came to Selsey from Northumbria and Ripon. Here he is depicted standing teaching as the Saxon’s draw in their nets. It is said that the South Saxons fished only for eels and that it was St Wilfred who taught them how to catch fish. Their first catch numbered three hundred and the amazed people turned to God. As they were baptized the rain began to fall ending three years of drought and despair. In thanks King Ethelwalh gave Wilfred eighty-seven hides of land at Selsey. St Wilfrid built a monastery and Cathedral on the Selsey peninsular which was lost when a new Cathedral was built by the Normans at Chichester - By Revd. Rupert Toovey. Originally published on 3rd December 2014 in the West Sussex Gazette.
Size: 3999px × 2857px
Photo credit: © steeve-x-art / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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