275. Willingdon.—The church contains some brasses of the sixteenth century. Of the old mansion of Ratton the gate-house still exists. (Horsfield's Suss. I, 288.) Langley, so called corruptly for Langney, on the southern side of Pevensey Level, is in this parish; and the chapel of the former mansion "remains almost entire." (Chron. of Pevensey, 52.) In the spring A.D. 1847 railroad excavations through this parish occasioned the discovery of an ancient leaden coffer, twelve inches long, eleven broad, and six deep. On two sides it is ornamented with the interlaced pattern, common on early stone crosses &c., and on the other two sides the markings resemble those on the cists of Will, and Gundrada de Warenne exhumed on the site of Lewes priory, A.D. 1845. For particulars consult (Suss. Arch. Coll. I, 160).
276. Wilmington.—In consequence of the bequest of the manor of Wilmington to the abbey of Grestein in Normandy by Rob. Earl of Morton, temp. K. William II, the last-named house erected a priory here for Benedictine monks. It was suppressed temp. K. Henry IV, who gave licence to the church of Chichester to purchase it; which was confirmed 2 of K. Henry V (in which year the alien priories throughout England were dissolved). (Monast. VI, 1053.) The remains of Wilmington priory are now a farm-house, consisting of a gateway, a crypt, and a chapel. (Horsfield's Suss. I, 325.) An "arched parlour—with groined ceiling" is also mentioned, apparently not the same as the chapel, though the description is not perfectly clear.
277. Winchelsea.—This name is said to be of Saxon origin, and to signify "a waterish place." (Mag. Brit.)—The old town of Winchelsea stood on the sea shore, and, after much previous injury, was ruined by the sea about the beginning of K. Edward's reign, the final devastation being A.D. 1287; after which a new town was erected a mile and a half from the sea, at Iham, belonging to the parish of Icklesham, whence the spot, having been purchased by the king's directions, was severed for the purpose. (Horsfield; who, Suss. I, 479 to 481, quotes various authorities to the above effect.) An old record-book of Rye contains the following entry. "M. D. quod anno Domini millesimo cclxxxviio in vigilia sane. Agathæ virginis submersa fuit villa de Wynchelsei, et omnes terræ inter Climesden usq' le Vochere de Hethe.—Mem. that in the year of the Lord one thousand two hundred and eighty-seven, on the vigil of St. Agatha,
