South East Chichester Cathedral and the Bishop's Palace Gardens, West Sussex

Chichester Cathedral sits at the heart of the old Roman City and with its tall spire and detached bell tower dominates the skyline.

The Cathedral was built just after the Norman Conquest when the seat of the bishopric was transferred from Selsey to Chichester. It was a simple building with nave, transepts and an apse. Devastating fires in the C12th destroyed much of the original wooden roof and the east end of the cathedral. The cathedral was significantly rebuilt with a square chancel surrounded by an ambulatory, clerestory and stone vaulted roof. The SW tower collapsed in 1210 and had to be rebuilt.

Later double side aisles were added with chapels on either side of the nave. A Lady Chapel was added to the east end of the chancel.

Richard of Wych was Bishop from 1245-53 and was canonised in 1262 for his holy works and miracles. His shrine was considered the third most important pilgrimage site in England after Canterbury and Walsingham.

The spire, separate bell tower and cloisters were added around 1400. The cathedral had a history of subsidence and the separate bell tower was probably built to avoid vibrations.

The shrine of St Richard was destroyed during the Reformation in 1538.

The cathedral was used by the Parliamentarians during the Civil War and the interior was vandalised. The NW tower collapsed and was not repaired until 1901.

By the start of the C19th, the cathedral was in a very poor state of repair and a massive restoration programme began. The tower and spire collapsed in 1861 and were rebuilt to the original design by George Gilbert Scott. There were suggestions the removal of the stone Arundel screen between the choir and the nave may have precipitated this. The screen was replaced in 1961.

Outside the cathedral is a statue of St Richard of Chichester He is globally renowned for his deep humility, his fierce defence of the church against King Henry III, and his enduring deathbed prayer that is still part of Christian liturgy.
"Thanks be to thee, my Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits which thou hast given me, for all the pains and insults which thou hast borne for me. O most merciful redeemer, friend and brother, may I know thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, and follow thee more nearly, day by day."

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Historical plan

Floor Plan

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Chichester Cathedral cont...

Entry is through the West Door into the nave. This still retains much of the original Norman architecture with round arches

The stone Arundel screen separates nave from the choir. This dates from the C15th and would originally have had a rood above and statues in the niches. The two side arches would have contained altars. The rood and statues were destroyed in the Reformation. The screen was removed in 1860 to open up the cathedral and placed into storage. This is thought to have contributed to the collapse of the spire the following year. The screen was eventually replaced in 1961 as a memorial to Bishop George Bell.

There are two notable tombs between the nave and north aisle. These were originally in Lewes Priory but were moved here after its dissolution in 1537.

The Arundel Tomb has the recumbent figures of Richard Fitzalan, 3rd Earl of Arundel (1313–1376), with his second wife, Eleanor of Lancaster, who are shown holding hands.

Near it is tomb of Joan de Vere, who was the grandmother of Richard FitzAlan and died in 1293

At the back of the South Aisle is the Baptistry with a copper font dating from 1983. The painting depicts the baptism of Christ.

At the back of the north aisle is the Chapel of St Michael. Known as the Sailor’s Chapel, this the memorial chapel for Royal Navy and the people of West Sussex who lost their lives at sea during World War II and have no known grave. There is a book of remembrance and naval flags.

The splendid reredos dates from 1910 and originally behind the High Altar before being replaced by the Piper tapestry. It was restored and placed here in 2017. At the centre is the crucifixtion with prominent saints in either side - St Richard of Chichester, St Peter, St Stephen and St Nicholas.

Also in the north aisle just before the transept is the Chapel of St Edmund of Abingdon and St Thomas of Canterbury. St Richard of Chichester had studied under St Edmund and had campaigned for him to be canonised. St Richard was originally buried here, before being moved to a lavish shrine behind the High Altar. The chapel was restored in memory Lt Noel Roland Abbey of the Grenadier Guards who was killed in France in 1918.

The splendid reredos depicts the two saints on. either side of the crucified Christ. The brightly coloured Chasuble in front of the later was commissioned by Dean Walter Hussey designed by John Piper in 1967 shortly after the unveiling of the Piper Tapestry behind the high altar. It illustrates his belief that there was no reason why the religious garments could not also be be contemporary works of art.

The two chapels in the south aisle were originally chantry chapels

The Chapel of St George is set behind an iron screen. This was used to say the first mass of the day and was also home to the Guild of St George, with the guild funds paying a chaplain to say a daily mass for the souls of deceased members. The painting above the altar depicts St George slaying the dragon.

The chapel became the memorial chapel for the Royal Sussex Regiment in 1921. The panels around the walls record the names of almost 8000 soldiers from the Regiment along with those of the Sussex Yeomanry who died in World War 1. The Book of Remembrance by the altar records the names of just over 1000 soldiers who died in the Second World War. The Regiment was disbanded 1966 and their colours hang from the walls.

Beyond is the C13th Chapel of St Clement which was used by pilgrims visiting the shrine of St Richard. The chapel was restored in 1898 and was dedicated to the memory of Bishop Richard Durnford, whose splendid canopied tomb is here.

It is now the RAF memorial chapel, commemorating all those who served in RAF bases across Sussex during World. War 2.

The altar frontal painting depicts ‘The Icon of Divine Light’ and represents God as a burst of sunlight surrounded by smaller stars . The inscription is from the Book of Revelation “ Behold, I make all things new”

The carved stone reredos has statues of St. Clement flanked by St. Alphage and St. Anselm.

On the south wall just beyond St Clements Chapel is the brass memorial to William Bradbridge (who died 1546) and his wife Alice, with their six sons and eight daughters.

Set under a canopy between the choir and the South Transept is the tomb of Bishop Robert Stratford, who died in 1362 snd as well as being bishop was also Chancellor of the Exchequer to Edward III.

On the wall next to this is the memorial to C E Kempe the renowned Victorian and Edwardian designer of stained glass windows, who was buried in the family vault in Ovingdean.

In the floor near this is a brass memorial.

On the east wall of the South Transept is a medieval stone with a Bishop’s crest above. There are further tomb niches beneath the south window.

The massive south window was installed in 1877 and includes scenes from both Old and New Testaments from Adam and Eve being expelled from the Grade of Eden to the Resurrected Christ in glory.

Hanging on the walls of the transepts are two massive painted wooden panels which was commissioned by Bishop Robert Sherbourne and painted in the 1530s by local artist Lambert Barnard. Because of their size, they are among the most important surviving examples of Tudor art.

The painting in the South Transept shows St Wilfred petitioning King Caedwalla in 681 for land to found Selsey Cathedral. Next to this, Bishop Sherborne is asking Henry VIII to reconfirm the royal gift of land, so guaranteeing the Cathedral’s future. This is thought to be the first full length portrait of Henry. Around are pictures of English Kings fro William I. However several images were vandalised during the English Civil War and others destroyed when the Cathedral spire collapsed in 1861.

The painting in the North Transept depicts all the Bishops of Selsey and Chichester. Lambard used the face of Bishop Sherbourne for each of the different bishops.

The Cathedral shop and treasury are also in the North Transept.

There is a memorial plaque in the floor to Gustav Holst. His ashes were buried in the North Transept underneath a memorial to his favourite Tudor composer, Thomas Weelkes.

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Chichester Cathedral cont...

The Choir was rebuilt after the 1187 fire and is a mix of Norman and Early Gothic architecture. It was restored 1867 reusing much of the original wood from the C14th pew, although the panelling along the backdates from the C19th restoration. The rear row of stalls still have their original misericords . These are now very fragile and can only be seen by asking the verger. In the corners are the stalls of the four principal canons. The Dean’s stall is in the SW corner. Opposite is that of the Precentor who is responsible for the liturgy and worship in the cathedral. At the opposite end are the stalls of the Chancellor and Treasurer. The Bishop’s throne is C19th.

The organ is above the choir stalls.

The chancel area is small and dominated by the colourful Piper tapestry behind the high altar.

In the early 1960s the Dean of Chichester Cathedral, Walter Hussey, and the Chapter considered that the Sanctuary and High Altar looked rather drab and gloomy. They commissioned John Piper to produce a tapestry to bring strong colour and warmth, providing a colourful focal point.

When first unveiled the tapestry was highly diversive and controversial to the traditionalists who regarded it as garish. One canon even wore sunglasses at its unveiling. to mark his displeasure. The tapestry is now widely regarded as a triumph of post-war ecclesiastical art.

Its seven panels represent the Holy Trinity. God the Father, the Light of the World, is represented by the white disc of the sun. God the Son is represented by the purple tau cross, with the red swirls at the end of the arms depicting his blood. The Holy Spirit is represented by the feathered flame. At the top on either side are the four elements of earth, air, fire and water, representing the fundamental materials of the universe. Below are the four symbols of the evangelists.

Immediately behind the altar in the retrochoir is the Shrine of St Richard. Richard was Bishop from 1244 - 1256 and renowned for his humility and his care of the poor. He was a staunch protector of the church against corruption and noted for his stand against Henry III.

He was canonised in 1262 and his body was removed from the Chapel of St Edmund and placed in a silver gilt shrine encrusted with jewels behind the high Altar. The shrine became an important destination of pilgrims who left offerings to the cathedral. The shrine destroyed in 1538 and St Richard’s relics scattered.

In 1930 and altar was placed on the site of the shrine. An authenticated relic of St Richard’s arm bone was gifted to the cathedral by the Abbey of La Lucerne in France in 1987 and was interred beneath the altar, to re-establish the shrine.

The massive Reconciliation Tapestry dates from 1983 and was designed by Ursula Benker-Schirmer and is a symbol of the post World War 2 reconciliation between Britain and Germany.

The chalice with the consecrated wine recalls the story of St Richard dropping a chalice during Mass without the wine spilling out. Fish at the base are reminders of Jesus’s promise to his followers that they would become 'Fishers of Men'. The red lotus emerging from the water is a symbol of rebirth, with the serpent emerging from the lotus is a reminder of temptation, suffering and hardship.

There is a statue and Icon of St Richard.

Immediately beyond the retrochoir is the C13th Lady Chapel, with a lovely vaulted ceiling. It is reserved for private prayer. The alabaster reredos has a mosaic representation of Christ appearing to his disciples after the Resurrection.

On the wall is a memorial to C16th Bishop Thomas Bickley with an inscription praising his pious and sober administration.

There are two smaller chapels on either side of the Lady Chapel. On the south side is the Chapel of St Mary Magdalene, with the small Graham Sutherland painting 'Noli Me Tangere' above the stone altar which was commissioned by Dean Walter Hussey. This depicts the resurrected Christ appearing to Mary Magdalene, who initially mistakes him for a gardener.

To the north of the Lady Chapel is the Chapel of St John the Baptist set behind a metal screen. On the altar is a striking bronze head of Christ is by Dame Elizabeth Fink, one of the most significant C20th Sculptors. Christ has his eyes closed conveying calm and serenity. The Oil of the Sick, the Oil of Baptism and the Oil of Chrism are kept in this chapel.

The two choir aisles allowed pilgrims access to the Shrine of St Richard. On the wall of the south choir aisle are two C12th stone panels depicting Christ raising Lazarus from the dead. These were discovered in 1829 tucked away behind the choir stalls. One shows the kneeling figures of his sisters, Mary and Martha, kneeling before Jesus , expressing their belief that he has the power to raise their brother from the dead.

In the second there is the amazement of onlookers when Christ calls Lazarus out of the tomb.

(The panels are now protected by glass making photography difficult.)

Just beyond the stone panels and visible through a glass inset on the floor is part of a C2nd Roman mosaic.

On the south wall between the Lazarus Sculptures is the tomb of Bishop Robert Sherborne, who was one of the most powerful churchmen of Tudor England. As a royal chaplain and diplomat, he amassed a considerable fortune and was a generous benefactor of the arts. He commissioned the Lambert Barnard paintings in the transepts where he is shown asking Henry VIII to reconfirm the royal gift of land, so guaranteeing the Cathedral’s future.

He is buried in a splendid polychrome tomb befitting his status.

On the wall opposite, backing onto the choi, is the tomb of Reverend Dr. Walter Farquhar Hook, an influential Victorian churchman and Dean of Chichester

In the north choir aisle near the Chapel of St John the Baptist is the wonderful Chagall window. This was again commissioned by Dean Walter Hussey and was dedicated in 1978. It is one of only two windows by Mac Chagall in the UK. The glowing colours are a visual representation of Psalm 150 , calling on all creatures to praise God.

Next to the chancel is the tomb of the late C15h Bishop Edward Storey, 1478-1503.

Also in the north choir aisle is the memorial to Bishop Ernest Roland Wilberforce, a grandson of the slavery abolitionist, William Wilberforce.

The altar frontal displayed on the north wall was designed by GF Bodley and was used on the High Altar before the Piper Tapestry was installed.

The Cloisters to the south of the cathedral can only be accessed from the outside of the cathedral. The cafe is here.

They give access to St Richard’s Walk which leads to the Cathedral Close and the Bishop’s Palace gardens.

 

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Bishop’s Palace Gardens

These are tucked away behind the Cathdral next to the city walls. Dating back to the mid C12th, they were part of the gardens and park attached to the Bishop's Palace. Now cared for by the council and are free to enter between 8am and dusk.

The gardens are a mix of grass, trees and herbaceous borders with a small pond and wild life area. There is a good view of the cathedral and plenty of seats to drop out and enjoy on a sunny day.

A flight of steps from a corner of the gardens, gives access to the walk along the city walls.

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