SAINT CUTHMANN OF STEYNING Our holy Father Cuthmann was born in about 680 either in Dorset or at Chidham near

Chichester in Sussex. The South Saxons were the last Anglo Saxon tribe to be con!erted "rom idolatry to the True Faith# and it may be that Cuthmann was one o" the "irst babies to be ba$ti%ed by the A$ostle o" the South Saxons& St. 'il"rid. Cuthmann early showed signs o" holiness( when $asturing his "ather)s shee$& he made a circle round them and "orbade them in the name o" Christ to ste$ out o" it while he said his $rayers on a stone# and the beasts obeyed his word. Cuthmann used to sit on the stone while he was minding the shee$ and a"ter his de$arture it was said that many miracles and healings too* $lace among those who touched the stone. 'hen his "ather died Cuthmann decided to ta*e his in!alid mother to "ind a new home in the east. +e constructed a *ind o" wooden bed "or her and with the aid o" a ro$e slung o!er his shoulders wheeled her round with him where!er he went. At one $oint the ro$e bro*e. This caused amusement to some mowers in a nearby "ield but their laughter was soon dis$elled by a hea!y shower o" rain which ruined their har!esting, +a!ing re$laced the ro$e with strands "rom the hedgerow Cuthmann continued on his -ourney until his ro$e sna$$ed again. Cuthmann was so relie!ed that his mother sustained no in-ury that he decided to build a church at the $lace& which he learned was called Steyning a Saxon word meaning .The /eo$le o" the Stone.. Cuthmann "ound some hel$ers in his church building& but one day they were in di""iculty when a main beam swung out o" $lace threatening to destroy the structure. A tra!eller a$$eared and de!ised a remedy which $ro!ed e""ecti!e. Cuthmann than*ed the stranger and as*ed him who he was. +e re$lied( .0 am he in whose name you are building this church.. 1ot all the local $eo$le recei!ed the saint with *indness. 'hen his oxen strayed& a local woman called Fi$$a im$ounded them and re"used to return them to Cuthmann. So he too* her two sons and yo*ed them to his cart in $lace o" the oxen. Fi$$a came to curse Cuthmann& but he returned her curse and she was raised to the s*y by a great gust o" wind. As she "ell the earth o$ened u$ and swallowed her. 0n the middle o" the ele!enth century Cuthmann)s wooden church was demolished and a cell o" mon*s built in its $lace. A"ter the 1orman Con2uest o" 3066 the relics o" the saint were remo!ed to the 1orman abbey o" Fecam$.

4Sources( 5ita S. Cuthmanni in Codicis 6othani A$$endix& Analecta Bollandiana& !ol. 75000& 3890& $$. 38: 88# 6eroge Coc*man& Cuthman, Steyning and the Stone& 388;# Da!id Farmer& The Oxford Dictionary of Saints<