Chichester Cathedral, West Sussex

The relatively small city of Chichester in West Sussex was initially a Roman settlement, receiving its current name in the fifth century when under Anglo-Saxon occupation. It acquired a cathedral soon after the Norman Conquest, in 1075, following transfer of the Sussex county seat from Selsey, as this was deemed too small, following a ruling that bishoprics had to be cited in cities rather than smaller towns.

As is always the case, the cathedral was built in phases and has been subject to various modifications and rebuilding of sections; in particular it has suffered from problems with unstable ground, prone to subsidence, and this has caused the collapse, at different times of both the towers flanking the western entrance, and the central tower holding the spire, this relatively recently, in 1861. The soft ground has long been known, and was the reason for construction of a separate, freestanding bell tower, rather than integrating this into the main structure as was usually the case. This is one of two aspects of Chichester unique amongst UK cathedrals, the other being the double aisles that border each side of the nave.

Despite the various rebuilding phases, Chichester retains much of its original Norman and Gothic architecture, and contains many ancient tombs and other ecclesiastical treasures.

History

Chichester Cathedral was consecrated in 1108, after an initial 30 year construction phase, and the pillars of the nave date from this time. In 1187 a major fire destroyed much of the town and greatly damaged the cathedral, necessitating, amongst other repairs, a new (stone) roof, replacing the previous wooden structure. The building was reconsecrated in 1199. Major changes over the next hundred years were construction of the central tower, much later (in 1403) topped with the spire, addition of the lady chapel at the east end - replacing the original Norman apse, and extending the aisles of the nave by adding full length rows of chapels on each side. The cloisters, and the freestanding belltower, were added around 1400. Little changed for several centuries, until the northwest tower collapsed in 1635, and then, in 1861, the whole central tower fell. The replacement was almost identical to the original, though six feet higher; it is now the third highest cathedral spire in England, after Salisbury and Norwich.

The Buildings

Chichester remains a small city, its Roman origins evident from the circular roads enclosing the centre, following the line of the old city walls, and the crossroads in the middle, aligned north-south, east-west. The cathedral lies in the southwest quadrant; it has cloisters on the south side and the bell tower to the northwest. The west front is comparatively restrained; it consists of a projecting rectangular porch between the two square corner towers, these also not ornate, and rising only to the apex of the roof. The nave is formed of eight bays, lined by the original Norman aisles, with the later chapel aisles beyond. A second entrance is via a smaller porch on the south side, from the western corridor of the cloisters. The former sacristy adjoins the porch and is entered on the far side, from a door in the south transept. The choir is positioned directly below the central tower, flanked by the two transepts, while to the east are the presbytery, the retrochoir and finally the 13th century lady chapel, which has a particularly elegant vaulted ceiling.