A Norman and Gothic cathedral with a free-standing bell tower, a spire you can see from the sea, and a strong collection of modern art
The bishop’s seat moved inland from Selsey to Chichester in 1075, and the cathedral was consecrated in 1108. Two features are unique among England’s medieval cathedrals: a bell tower standing on its own beside the west end, and a double row of aisles down each side of the nave. The spire, rebuilt after it collapsed in 1861, is the only one on a medieval English cathedral that can be seen from the sea. In the 1960s and 70s the dean, Walter Hussey, commissioned modern work, so alongside the medieval stone you’ll find a window by Marc Chagall, a John Piper tapestry behind the high altar and a painting by Graham Sutherland, plus a patch of Roman mosaic floor seen through a glass panel. Chichester Cross is a couple of minutes’ walk east, and Chichester station is under 500 m south.
