Chichester Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chichester Cathedral |
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| Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity | |
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 Chichester Cathedral
Location in West Sussex
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| GB-WSX 50°50′11″N 0°46′51″W / 50.8363°N 0.7808°W | |
| Location | Chichester, West Sussex |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Previous denomination | Roman Catholicism |
| Website | chichestercathedral.org.uk |
| History | |
| Consecrated | 1108 |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Norman, Gothic |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 408 ft (124 m) |
| Width | 157 ft (48 m) |
| Height | 61 ft (19 m) |
| Spire height | 277 ft (84 m) |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Chichester |
| Province | Canterbury |
Chichester Cathedral, also called the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, is a very important church in Chichester, West Sussex, England. It is the main church for the Anglican Bishop of Chichester. The cathedral was started in 1075 when the bishop's main church was moved from Selsey.
Chichester Cathedral shows off beautiful Norman and Gothic styles. Some people say it's the most typical English cathedral. It has two special features that are rare among medieval cathedrals in England. These are a bell tower that stands by itself and double aisles inside the church. The cathedral also holds two very old sculptures and many modern artworks. These include tapestries, stained glass windows, and sculptures. Many of these were specially made for the cathedral.
The city of Chichester is quite small. It still has two main streets that were laid out by the Romans. The city was once so small that everyone living there could fit inside the cathedral at the same time!
The tall spire of Chichester Cathedral has a green copper roof. It is the third tallest spire in England. It helps travelers find their way. This spire is the only one from a medieval English cathedral that you can see from the sea.
Contents
History of Chichester Cathedral
Chichester Cathedral was built to replace an older church. That church was founded in 681 by St Wilfrid in Selsey. The bishop's main church was moved to Chichester in 1075.
The cathedral was officially opened in 1108 by Bishop Ralph de Luffa. An early part added was the Chapel of Saint Pantaleon. This chapel is now the Canons' Vestry. It was likely started just before a big fire in 1187. That fire burned much of the cathedral and destroyed a lot of the town.
The fire meant the cathedral needed a lot of rebuilding. The inside walls of the nave were redone. The old wooden ceiling was replaced with the stone ceiling you see today. The cathedral was opened again in 1199.
In the 1200s, the central tower was finished. The round eastern end was rebuilt with a Lady chapel. Also, a row of chapels was added on each side of the nave. This created the double aisles, which are like those in many French cathedrals. The spire was finished around 1402. A bell tower that stands alone was built to the north of the west end.
In 1262, Richard de la Wyche became a saint. He was bishop from 1245 to 1253. His special shrine made the cathedral a popular place for pilgrimage. But in 1538, during the English Reformation, the shrine was ordered to be destroyed. In 1642, the cathedral was attacked by soldiers during a war.
Why Did the Spire Collapse?
The towers at Chichester have had problems because the ground underneath them has sunk over time. This is why the 15th-century bell tower stands far away from the main cathedral building. The south-west tower fell in 1210 and was rebuilt. The north-west tower fell in 1635 and was not rebuilt until 1901. The stone spire was built in the 1300s. It was repaired in the 1600s by Christopher Wren.
The spire survived a lightning strike in 1721. During the 1700s, more repairs were made to the top of the spire. However, the cathedral was still in poor condition. A big repair project began in 1812. In 1829, the cathedral closed for several months for major work.
On February 21, 1861, the cathedral spire suddenly fell down. Luckily, no one was hurt. Before this, a stone screen that separated the choir from the nave had been removed. Some people thought this removal caused the collapse. But it was more likely that the spire's foundations had sunk over many years. This made the spire separate from the tower. Also, the inner parts of the columns holding the spire had turned to dust. So, a weak tower fell in strong winds.
A fund was started to raise money for rebuilding. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were among those who donated. A copy of the old tower and spire was rebuilt. It followed the original plans. The new structure was made about 6 feet (1.8 m) taller. It was finished in five years. It now stands 82 metres (269 ft) high.
In 2008, the cathedral celebrated its 900th birthday. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, visited to give a speech. He also opened a new guest house.
What Does Chichester Cathedral Look Like?
Like many English cathedrals, Chichester has a long and interesting building history. It has faced several disasters. You can see the different building styles from different times. The older Norman parts have massive walls and round-topped windows. The later Gothic parts look different. You can also spot various Gothic styles from the late 1100s to the 1400s.
The cathedral's shape is like a cross. It has a nave and choir with aisles. These are crossed by a transept. The eastern end of the building is long, which is common in England. It has a flat end and a Lady chapel that sticks out. Also typical for England are the two towers at the western front. There is a taller central tower over the middle part. What makes its plan unusual for England is having double aisles. Chichester also has a cloister, which is a covered walkway, on the south side.
Chichester is smaller than some other Norman cathedrals like Winchester Cathedral. Much of the original Norman building remains in the nave, transept, and choir. The inside walls rise in three levels: the main arches, a gallery above, and windows at the top. This is similar to the Norman parts of Winchester Cathedral.
After the fire in 1187, the top windows were rebuilt. The whole building was given a vaulted ceiling with ribs. The eastern end was made longer and square-shaped. It has tall, narrow windows in a style that mixes Norman and Gothic. The new arches still have the round shape of Norman architecture. The vaulted ceiling is in the Early English Gothic style. It is supported by outside arches called flying buttresses. At this time, the whole inside was updated. Many walls were refaced with new stone. Each pillar was decorated with thin dark Purbeck marble columns. These contrast with the older, wider stone pillars.
The central tower, rebuilt by George Gilbert Scott, is in the Early English style. It has two tall pairs of openings on each side.
The first spire was made of stone, not wood. It was built in the late 1300s. Its style is like the spire of Salisbury Cathedral. But it is not as tall, probably because of the ground sinking. At 277 ft (84 m) high, it is the fourth tallest cathedral spire in the UK.
The Lady chapel is a long, narrow room at the eastern end. It has large windows in the Decorated Gothic style from the late 1200s.
Other buildings connected to the cathedral include the bell tower. It stands alone and was built in the early 1400s. St Mary's Almshouses in Chichester is a Christian charity from the 1200s. It is linked to the cathedral. The medieval Hospital, connected to the Almshouses, is one of only two such buildings in the world.
- Cathedral interior
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Arundel Screen
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High altar
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Choir
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North transept
Special Features and Artworks
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Chichester Cathedral has many special treasures and artworks. The most valuable are two carved stone reliefs from the 1100s. These are very rare among English sculptures. Other old treasures include parts of a Roman mosaic floor. You can see this through a glass window. There are also thirty-eight medieval misericords from 1330. These are small wooden seats under the choir stalls.
Famous people buried here include the composer Gustav Holst. There is also the Gothic "Arundel tomb." It shows Richard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of Arundel holding hands with his second wife, Eleanor of Lancaster. This tomb was made famous in a poem.
The cathedral also has many modern artworks. These include tapestries by John Piper and Ursula Benker-Schirmer. There is a window by Marc Chagall, a painting by Graham Sutherland, and sculptures by John Skelton. Outside, there is a bronze statue of St Richard of Chichester.
The cathedral also displays a special flag. This flag was on Francis Chichester's ship when he sailed around the world.
Music at the Cathedral
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Music at Chichester Cathedral is very important. It is mainly led by the organ and the cathedral choir. Services are held daily and on special days. The cathedral also supports all kinds of music, both religious and other types. Choirs from other churches often come to sing.
The cathedral hosts many concerts. These include popular free lunchtime concerts. It is a place for artists from all over the world to perform. Local groups, like the Chichester Singers, also perform their main concerts here.
Organs and Organists
There has been organ music at Chichester Cathedral for a very long time. It stopped only for a short period. Today, there are five pipe organs of different sizes and styles. Parts of the Main Organ date back to the 1600s.
Many famous composers have been organists here. These include Thomas Weelkes and John Reading. Anne Maddocks was the first woman in England to be an assistant organist in a cathedral. Sarah Baldock was the second woman to hold the top music job in a Church of England cathedral.
The current main organist and director of the choir is Charles Harrison. The assistant organist is Timothy Ravalde.
Cathedral Choir
The Chichester Cathedral Choir has eighteen main singers and four trainees. All of them go to the Prebendal School, which is next to the cathedral. The choir also has six adult professional musicians.
During school terms, the choir sings at eight services each week. Besides singing, the young singers also learn piano and another instrument. They spend at least eighteen hours a week on music.
The choir often travels to other countries. In recent years, they have visited France and Germany. They also often visit Chartres. In 2005, the choir toured South Africa.
Wildlife at the Cathedral
The cathedral is a home for peregrine falcons. They build their nests in a special turret at the bottom of the spire. In April 2009, three female and one male chick hatched there. During nesting season, you can watch live videos of the chicks inside the cathedral and on its website.
Images for kids
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The 15th-century bell tower
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See also
In Spanish: Catedral de Chichester para niños
- Architecture of the medieval cathedrals of England
- List of cathedrals in England and Wales
- List of Gothic cathedrals in Europe
