The Abbey Church, Fécamp, Normandy

Edward the Confessor spent about twenty eight years in exile before becoming King of England. While the Danish King Cnut and his two sons occupied the English throne, Edward found sanctuary with the dukes of Normandy. His parents had fled to the court of his maternal uncle, Duke Richard II, where he remained after the death of his father and the return to England of his mother. Documents from the period show that Edward was in the coastal town of Fécamp, where the dukes maintained a palace and lavished their wealth on a great abbey. Edward's vow of chastity is one of several indications that he may have even become a monk at Fécamp, or at least chosen the simple life as a guest of the abbey for many years.

Edward's prospects of regaining his father's throne looked dismal. His Norman mother, Emma, entered into a remarkable second marriage. Either through force or ambition, she became the wife of King Cnut - and had a son. Others in Edward's family were murdered. Nonetheless, Richard II's son, Duke Robert, recognised his cousin Edward as the rightful king of England. Robert even attempted an attack on Cnut from Fécamp, in Edward's support, but with little success.

Cnut's line eventually failed and Edward returned to England. His peaceful accession to the throne in 1042 was a dramatic turn of fortune. He had much to thank his Norman protectors for and gave his royal minster church in Steyning, with its large manor lands, to the Abbey Church of the Holy Trinity at Fécamp. This was to take effect after the death of the bishop who had charge of Steyning, named Aelfwine. The bishop died in 1047 and ecclesiatical jurisdiction then passed directly to the Pope. In the same way, Fécamp Abbey itself answered to no Norman bishop but only to the Pope.

King Cnut had already given a port with land around Rye, Winchelsea and Hastings to Fécamp Abbey, to honour a promise made by King Aethelred. Aethelred was Edward's father and the first husband of Queen Emma. Aethelred's Norman marriage was intended to cement a cross-channel coalition against Viking raiders. It was a spectacular failure: the Danish King Cnut took the throne and the Queen! Aethelred had taken refuge in Fécamp and after he died it seems the Queen was obliged by the abbey to honour his promise even though she had remarried Cnut. King Edward added an important new Sussex port to enrich the abbey's trade and communication with England. His extraordinary gift is confirmed in a charter up to forty years later under King William:

253. Charter by William I to the abbot and monks of Fécamp.

Confirming the gift, made by Edward the Confessor, of Steyning [co. Sussex]. This charter acquitted the grantees of all earthly service and subjection to barons, princes, and others, and gave them all royal liberties, custom, and justice over all matters arising in their land; and threatened any who should infringe these liberties with an amercement of £100 of gold.*

Edward was made a saint in later times but his reign was weakened by over-mighty subjects. One of these men, raised up by King Cnut, was Earl Godwine of Wessex. Godwine's political instincts were Danish rather than Norman but above all he promoted his own family interests. Edward apparently intended to maintain a vow of chastity, but was obliged to marry Godwine's daughter Eadgyth. The Earl held vast estates in Sussex formerly owned by the royal family. In 1052 he recovered power after launching a chaotic rebellion and forced several influential Normans to flee the country. The monks of Fécamp lost Steyning, having hardly had time to establish themselves, and Godwine took it for himself. He clearly suspected King Edward of paving the way for a Norman succession.

Earl Godwine died the following year but his equally powerful son continued to dominate the reign of Edward the Confessor. This was Harold Godwineson. When Edward died without an heir, Earl Harold was swiftly chosen and crowned to defend the country against aggressive foreign claims. In line with his father's policy, King Harold still refused to restore Steyning to the monks of Fécamp. This was hardly surprising, since there was a royal mint in the town. The manor lands were large and wealthy. Steyning was a busy port and a natural point of entry into England from Normandy. Far better for a king to have his own men at Steyning, rather than Norman monks in league with his enemies!

Unlike Duke William, King Harold neglected to send an envoy to the Pope to explain his position. By October 1066 William had landed on the south coast of England with his fleet, including a ship provided by Fécamp Abbey. The stage was set for the Battle of Hastings.