Chichester950 is a year-long celebration of Chichester Cathedral’s 950th anniversary, which features a major exhibition: Religion, Rebellion & Reformation.
Running until 15th November 2025, this compelling exhibition uncovers the rich history of faith in Sussex over the past nine centuries. Each month, we’ll delve into a fascinating artefact or theme from the exhibition.
This month, as we mark International Women’s Day, we turn to the extraordinary story of the nuns of East Grinstead. Through public records and their own diaries, visitors will discover how their pioneering work among the rural poor challenged societal expectations in Victorian England.
A controversial beginning
The Society of St Margaret, founded in the mid-1850s by the Reverend John Mason Neale, was one of the first Anglican orders of nuns, established in England after the Reformation. It was controversial at the time - not only because it revived the idea of communal religious life for women, which many saw as being too similar to the ways of Roman Catholicism, but also because it attracted upper middle-class women who chose service over traditional domestic roles. These women, expected by Victorian society to remain at home as dutiful daughters and later willing wives, instead became nuns, committing themselves to a life of active charity and faith.
John Neale, best known as the composer of Good King Wenceslas and a translator of early church hymns, envisioned a community of women who would dedicate their lives to serving the most impoverished. However, their work went beyond mere charity; it required courage, resilience and an unyielding commitment to the sick and suffering.
Living among the poorest
Unlike other charitable institutions of the time, the nuns of East Grinstead did not simply visit the needy - they lived with them. Records reveal a striking picture of privileged women thrust into conditions of extreme hardship. One nun wrote with stark honesty that the pigs at home lived in better conditions than the families they served.
They nursed people through deadly outbreaks of tuberculosis, cholera, scarlet fever and typhoid - often at great personal risk. One young nun, Sister Amy Scobell, sadly died within just six weeks of joining the order. Another record recounts the outbreak of typhoid fever in Lewes, where 52 people had already died. The local authorities, in desperation, sought help from the nuns. From the moment Sister Beatrice arrived, no more people died - a testament to her understanding of hygiene and nursing care in an era before antibiotics.
The battle for cleanliness and care
Records also reveal an unrelenting struggle to maintain basic hygiene in homes where there was often only a single set of sheets. They boiled water for washing, collected firewood to warm sickrooms and fought against infections with rudimentary medical knowledge. Their work was pioneering - anticipating the principles of hygiene later championed by Florence Nightingale.
A lasting legacy
The Society of St Margaret eventually overcame the fierce criticism it initially faced. Their selfless service earned the respect of their communities and played a key role in transforming attitudes toward religious life in Victorian England.
As visitors explore Religion, Rebellion & Reformation, they will encounter some extraordinary accounts of these remarkable women which reveal a compelling testament to their sacrifices, resilience and unwavering dedication to those in need.