val crucifix
discovered in 1877. Higher up the river is the little old church of
Botolph's, which may be Saxon so far as the chancel arch is concerned,
Both these churches are very old and quite untouched by the restorer.
At Upper Beeding the Priory of Sele once stood where is now the
vicarage; the Early English church is of small interest and need not
detain us.

[Illustration: COOMBES.]

Bramber (Brymburgh) Castle holds the same position for the valley of
the Adur that Lewes does for the Ouse and Arundel for the Arun. The
stronghold antedates by many centuries the great Norman with whose name
it is always coupled. Some authorities claim Bramber to have been the
Portus Adurni that we have already connected with Aldrington; however
that may be, Roman remains have been discovered here in the form of
bridge foundations and it is more than possible that a British fort
stood either on or near the hillock where William de Braose improved
and rebuilt the then existing castle; this, with the barony, was
granted to him by the Conqueror, and the family continued for many
years to be the most powerful in Mid-Sussex. After the line failed, the
property went to the Mowbrays and afterwards to the Howards, in whose
hands it still remains. It was through this connexion that the title of
Duke of Norfolk came to the holders of Arundel. Thomas Mowbray was made
first Duke in 1388, and when the line ceased and the property changed
hands the title went with it. It is possible that the army of the
Parliament destroyed the castle in the Civil War, though no actual
records prove this. A skirmish took place here between the Royalists
and their opponents and is described in a letter addressed to a certain
Samuel Jeake of Rye by one of the latter:--

"The enemy attempted Bramber Bridge, but our brave Carleton and
Evernden with his Dragoons and our horse welcomed them with drakes and
muskets, sending some eight or nine men to hell, I feare, and one
trooper to Arundell prisoner, and one of Captain Evernden's Dragoons to
heaven." It was the scene of a narrow escape for Charles II in his
flight to Brighton. The poor remnants of the Castle are now an excuse
for picnickers who are not always reverent, in point of tidiness,
towards what was once a palace of the Saxon Kings.

[Illustration: UPPER BEEDING.]

Bramber village is most picturesque and attractive; its size renders it
difficult to believe that within living memory it returned two members