Chichester Cross facts for kids
The Chichester Cross is a famous old building in the middle of Chichester, a city in West Sussex, England. It stands where the four main streets meet. This special structure is known as a market cross, which means it was once a place where people gathered to buy and sell goods. It's considered a very important historical building, officially called a Grade I listed building.
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Discovering Chichester Cross: A Historic Landmark
The Chichester Cross is a beautiful example of old English architecture. It's not just a pretty sight; it tells a story about how people lived and traded hundreds of years ago.
Who Built the Chichester Cross?
The cross was built a very long time ago, in the late 1400s. An inscription on the cross says it was built by Edward Story. He was the Bishop of Chichester from 1477 to 1503. However, some clues from the building's style suggest it might have been built a bit earlier, during the time of King Edward IV.
Before this stone cross, there was an older wooden cross in the same spot. Bishop William Reade built that one between 1369 and 1385. The stone cross was made so that poorer people would have a special place to sell their items. It also served as an important meeting spot for everyone in the city.
How the Cross Was Maintained
Over the centuries, the Chichester Cross has been looked after and repaired. It was fixed during the reign of King Charles II. Later, in 1746, a wealthy person named Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond paid for more repairs. Thanks to these efforts, the cross still stands strong today.
The Unique Design of Chichester Cross
The Chichester Cross is built from Caen stone, a popular and strong material used for important buildings back then. Its design is quite special and detailed.
What Does It Look Like?
The cross has eight sides, making it an octagonal shape. Each corner has a strong support, called a buttress, topped with decorative spires called pinnacles. On each of its sides, you'll find an entrance through a pointed arch. These arches are decorated with fancy carvings called crockets and a small ornament at the very top called a finial.
Above four of these arches, there's a stone tablet. These tablets remind us of the repairs made during King Charles II's time. Above each tablet, there's a clock face. These clocks show the time to people on three of the main streets.
Inside the Cross
In the very center of the cross, there's a large round column. The bottom part of this column forms a circular seat where people could rest. Many curved stone ribs, called groinings, spread out from this central column. They form a beautifully shaped roof above. The central column seems to go right through the roof. Outside, eight flying buttresses support the column, resting on the corners of the building.
The Malmesbury Market Cross in Wiltshire is another old English market cross that looks similar. However, the Chichester Cross is larger and more detailed.
The Cross as a Market Place
For many years, the Chichester Cross was the main market place for the city. It was a busy hub where people bought and sold goods.
Changes Over Time
By the early 1800s, Chichester had grown a lot, and the city needed a bigger market area. So, around 1807, a large new market-house was built on North Street. Once the new market was ready, some people thought about taking down the old cross. They saw it as being in the way.
However, this didn't happen! Some members of the city's council bought several houses near the north side of the cross. They then tore these houses down to make the street wider. This clever idea saved the historic Chichester Cross, allowing it to remain a central part of the city for future generations to enjoy.
