Gem left to us by a medieval merchant

Tucked away in the car-park behind Seaford Police Station, the Crypt is a real gem of a venue which, for the past 12 years has hosted a variety of art events. These have ranged from internationally acclaimed artists such as Patrick Caulfield to the work of local artists and schoolchildren. 'The Crypt' sounds as if the building had a religious background, indeed the Victorian Sussex historian Mark Anthony Lower believed it was the chapel of St James's Leper Hospital. This medieval building, however, is now believed to have been north of the church. Let me take you on a quick tour. As you enter you immediately see a double, gothic style, window which adds to the feeling that this was part of a church. Early prints, however, do not show this feature which was obviously a Victorian addition. The building is actually the undercroft of the house of a rich Seaford merchant. You enter the cellar area via a wide stone staircase but as you descend, turn and notice how the heavy door fits neatly into a rebate inside of the door arch. The door (which can't look much different from the original one) is hung on two large iron pintles which are original features. On the other side, a slot is built into the wall to accommodate a long thick locking bar. The slot is one and a half metres long (as long as the door is wide) and is lined with bricks and tiles for added strength. You will see another door at the other end of the room but this one is not lockable. This probably led into the merchant's house which means the door you have entered would have been the main entrance. The most striking feature of the room is the beautiful vaulting. There is no doubt that without this feature the crypt would not have survived for so long. The sandstone vaulting is divided into two bays which are quite square and each has a fine carved boss in the centre. The one closest to the door is in the form of a grape and vine leaf and the other one has two entwined leaves. These designs are almost identical with bosses which are carved into the roof of the Chapter House at Southwell Minster in Nottinghamshire. These are known to have been carved in 1295. The window on the northern wall is original and at one time was fitted with shutters. This window is identical to one overlooking the church at the West Dean rectory which was built in the late 13th century; indeed the windows may well have been made by the same craftsman. We can fairly accurately therefore date the crypt to the 1290s. Seaford at this time was a successful port. In 1291 the town had no less than 16 wool merchants; more than any other Sussex town. That year Seaford exported 184 sacks of Downland wool, more than any other south coast port. (a sack of wool then was a large measure, the average ship could carry just nine sacks at a time.) It is likely therefore that our merchant exported wool. His ships, however, would not return from France empty. They would bring back wine. At this time the Port of Seaford was listed along with Bristol, Ipswich and Southampton as having to pay duties of two shillings per cask levied by the King's Butler. Our merchant left us a clue to his business with the grapes and vine leaves on the ceiling boss. At the end of his busy day our merchant would lock the main entrance and enter his house through the far door. Go through the door yourself and on the right you will see that he had a wall safe in which to lock his takings. Notice the rebate for the door and the three sockets for the locks. The undercroft would have been at the back of the premises and in the yard outside there were wells and sunken storage jars. These were discovered during excavations of the site in 1993. The merchant's house would have fronted Church Street. The archaeologists also found plenty of animal bones, a copper necklace and a green glazed aquamanile. This is a small water jug used for washing greasy fingers at the dinner table '“ it appears that our merchant was not only prosperous but well-mannered, too! The building survived years of French raids, German bombs and neglect but in the 1990s local architect and historian, John Odam, cleverly and sympathetically incorporated the Crypt into a range of new buildings. Local councillor Diana Styles petitioned Lewes District Council to use the Crypt as an art gallery and this she formally opened in 1994. Don't let this most ancient of Seaford buildings remain a secret to you. Take the opportunity this weekend of visiting the oldest non-secular building in the area and see a special display about its history. It will be open from today (Friday) to Monday, May 1 from 11am to 4pm. KEVIN GORDON