Fécamp had an important role as early as the reign of William Longsword (927-942), the son of Rollo, thanks to the existence of a ducal residence near the former abbey which had been abandoned at the end of 9th century before being restored as a collegiate church by Richard I in 990 and then being given abbey status in 1001 by Richard II. The abbey is one of the few religious establishments to have had possessions in England before 1066. Shortly after 1028, King Canute granted the abbey two-thirds of the dues paid by Winchelsea and Brede. Some years later, Edward the Confessor added other coastal estates in Sussex (Steyning, Hastings). In this charter, William the Conqueror confirms the grants of Steyning manor and gives the abbey Bury manor in compensation for Hastings. The first of the crosses underneath the text of the charter, which served as signatures, is that of William the Conqueror, and just to the right is that of his son, the future king of England, William Rufus.
For further details :
- Yvart, Maurice, « Les possessions de l’abbaye de Fécamp en Angleterre », in Les abbayes de Normandie, Actes du XIIe congrès des sociétés historiques et archéologiques de Normandie, Rouen, imprimerie, Lecerf, 1979.
- Michaël Bloche, Le chartrier de l’abbaye de la Trinité de Fécamp : étude et édition critique, 928/929-1190, Thèse de l’Ecole Nationale des Chartes, 2012.