Cuthmann of Steyning was an Anglo-Saxon hermit and builder who lived in Sussex during the late 7th and 8th centuries. Born around 681, likely in Chidham, he is remembered for his devotion to his paralyzed mother and his role in establishing a religious site in Steyning. According to tradition, he traveled with his mother in a makeshift cart until a broken rope signaled the divine location where he should settle. He is celebrated as a saint for his piety and for founding a church that became a significant local landmark.
Life and legends
As a shepherd, Cuthmann cared for his mother by transporting her in a one-wheeled cart. After his father died, the pair traveled east, eventually stopping in Steyning when his makeshift rope broke. There, he constructed a church, which was already established by the mid-9th century. Local folklore also attributes the creation of the Chanctonbury Ring to a failed attempt by the Devil to flood the region, a plan Cuthmann supposedly thwarted through cleverness.
Veneration and legacy
His reputation spread to the European continent following the relocation of his relics to Fécamp. He is commemorated on February 8. In Steyning, his legacy is preserved through the dedication of the local church to St Andrew and St Cuthmann, as well as a dedicated chapel. His image, often depicted with his cart, has appeared in historical engravings and remains a symbol of the town.