Saint Shelley

SMP secretary Carol Hayton presents some surprising Shelley connections.

Much of Percy Bysshe Shelley's work reflected his desire for social justice. His determination to use his talent to promote his radical views has, through the centuries, drawn admiration and regard for the young poet. However, it has to be acknowledged that there were aspects of his character that were less than admirable and Shelley was far from a saint. However, it appears that he may have been related to one!

Whilst researching information about the Shelley family recently, we stumbled across a website, Latinsaints, which has a page about the Blessed Martyrs of Sussex. Amongst the list of Sussex martyrs is one Edward Shelley, who hailed from Warminghurst in Sussex, where he lived about 200 years before the poet Shelley was born.

Carol Hayton and the Shelley shield

The site tells gives us a brief history of Edward Shelley, as follows:

'Edward Shelley came from a staunch Sussex Catholic family. His father had estates at Warminghurst, and his grandfather was Sir John Shelley of Michelgrove near Arundel.'

It goes on to tell us that Shelley and another Sussex martyr, Henry Webley, were,

'among that band of laypeople – many unknown to us – who gave help and shelter to the priests who came from abroad to minister to them. One of these priests was Blessed William Dean, and indeed Shelley had been in prison with him. Dean (and perhaps Shelley) had been banished with many others in 1585 but returned that same year.

1588 was a fateful year for English Catholics. In July the invasion of the Spanish Armada was narrowly averted, and there was an immediate reaction against Catholics. The government was not slow to take advantage of this, and many Catholics then in prison were brought to trial, among them Webley and Shelley. Both were tried under the Act of 1585, by which it was a felony to receive or aid priests entering the country, and in both cases, the priest in question was William Dean. It was made abundantly clear that if they acknowledged the Queen as head of the Church they would be reprieved. Henry Webley and Dean were found guilty at Newgate Sessions and executed together at Mile End Green on 28 August 1588. Two days later Edward Shelley was hanged at Tyburn.'

Other sources tell us that Edward was also condemned for keeping a book called ' My Lord Leicester's Commonwealth ' which was considered to be Roman Catholic Propaganda against Queen Elizabeth 1's regime and particularly her favourite Lord Dudley Earl of Leicester. Edward Shelley was beatified in 1929

We are not sure whether there is a direct line from Edward to Percy Bysshe Shelley, and we know that Shelley was historically a fairly common Sussex name, but there are certainly references to the poet being a descendant of the Warminghurst Shelleys in local history records.

We think Shelley would have been pleased to been associated with Edward. Undoubtedly they would have had very different views on religion, but both were clearly unafraid of standing up to the establishment of their time and in favour of doing what they believed in.

David Hide outside Warminghurst Church

Nothing really remains of the village of Warminghurst apart from a lovely church, which has strong connections with the Shelley family and also has a connection with another great historical figure, William Penn who founded Pennsylvania!

On a recent bright, sunny, autumn day some members of the Shelley Memorial Project made a visit to the church to take a walk in the steps of Shelley's ancestors and find out a bit more about Shelley's family history.

The church, which is no longer used for services but is being valiantly preserved by the Friends of Warmingshurst Church and the Churches Trust, stands high above the 'lone and level' fields that stretch for miles around. Inside there is a memorial to James Butler, and more importantly, to Edward Shelley senior's family. A brass plaque shows Edward and his wife with their seven children. The image of the youngest boy, Edward is headless. The head would have been removed deliberately to indicate the shame that Edward brought on his family by harbouring a Catholic priest.

The Church could not be a more appropriate place to reflect on Shelley and Romanticism. The lost village and traces of the great people that lived there; the empty church which stands as a slightly faded monument to the past; the setting above West Sussex's beautiful countryside. All the elements are there for a fascinating visit for those interested in Shelley. So, why not go along and find out more about Shelley's ancestors and this lovely place?