#chichester

Описание: These are not my words they are taken from Wikipeda.

Chichester Cathedral was built to replace the cathedral founded in 681 by St Wilfrid for the South Saxons at Selsey. The seat of the bishop was transferred in 1075.[2] It was consecrated in 1108 under bishop Ralph de Luffa. An early addition was the Chapel of Saint Pantaleon off the south transept (now the Canons' Vestry), probably begun just before an 1187 fire which burnt out the cathedral and destroyed much of the town.[8] That fire necessitated a substantial rebuilding, which included refacing the nave and replacing the destroyed wooden ceiling with the present stone vault, possibly by Walter of Coventry. The cathedral was reconsecrated in 1199.[1][2]

In the 13th century, the central tower was completed, the Norman apsidal eastern end rebuilt with a Lady chapel and a row of chapels added on each side of the nave, forming double aisles such as are found on many French cathedrals. The spire was completed about 1402 and a free-standing bell tower constructed to the north of the west end.[1][2][b]

In 1262, Richard de la Wyche, who was bishop from 1245 to 1253, was canonised as Saint Richard of Chichester. His shrine made the cathedral a place of pilgrimage. The shrine was ordered to be destroyed in 1538 during the first stages of the English Reformation. In 1642 the cathedral came under siege by Parliamentary troops.[2]


The collapse of the spire in 1861
The towers at Chichester have had a particularly unfortunate history because of subsidence, which explains the positioning of the 15th century bell tower at some distance from the cathedral. The south-west tower of the façade collapsed in 1210 and was rebuilt. The north-west tower collapsed in 1635 and was not rebuilt until 1901.[2] The masonry spire was built in the 14th century and was repaired in the 17th century by Christopher Wren. It survived a lightning strike in 1721 and stood for 450 years.

On 21 February 1861, the spire telescoped in on itself, without loss of life. A restoration programme had been started under George Chandler, Dean in the 1840s. The project was to be completed by Walter Hook who took over as dean in 1849. It included the removal of a stone screen (known as the Arundel screen) that separated the choir from the nave. There was some discussion that its removal had caused the collapse of the spire. A more likely cause was thought to be that the spire's foundations had been subject to subsidence over the years and had become detached from the tower, leaving the tower freestanding. Also that the rubble cores of the columns holding the spire had become dust. Thus a weakened tower collapsed in the face of high winds.[9] A fund was set up to raise the £48,000 needed for the rebuilding, and the contributors included Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.[10] A replica of the old tower and spire was rebuilt along the original lines by Scott from drawings which had been made by Joseph Butler, architect to the fabric (1847–88).[8] The construction was raised by about 6 feet (1.8 m), by George Gilbert Scott and was completed in five years.[11] It now rises to a height of 82 metres.[2][4] The rubble from the original spire was used to construct the former West Ashling Congregational Chapel.[c]

In 2008, the cathedral community celebrated the 900th anniversary of the building's consecration. Rowan Williams, then Archbishop of Canterbury, was invited to preach at a festival eucharist and dedicate the new guest house, which was originally named after Bishop George Bell.[14

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Bishop’s Palace Gardens
Bishop’s Palace Gardens

Nestling between the south-western edge of the Cathedral and the City Walls lie the beautiful Bishop’s Palace Gardens, a public park maintained by the city.

A peaceful lush oasis almost hidden away in the centre of Chichester, the gardens date back to 1147-1148 and have recently undergone a major refurbishment. The addition of water features, new seating and a pergola walk, alongside improved access and the creation of a wildlife friendly garden space make this the perfect place to unwind.

Open from 8am until dusk, the garden is just a short walk from the Cathedral.