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Chichester () is a cathedral city and civil parish in West Sussex, England.OS Explorer map 120: Chichester, South Harting and Selsey Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey – Southampton B2 edition. Publishing Date:2009. It is the only city in West Sussex and is its
county town In the United Kingdom and Ireland, a county town is the most important town or city in a county. It is usually the location of administrative or judicial functions within a county and the place where the county's members of Parliament are elect ...
. It was a Roman and
Anglo-Saxon The Anglo-Saxons were a Cultural identity, cultural group who inhabited England in the Early Middle Ages. They traced their origins to settlers who came to Britain from mainland Europe in the 5th century. However, the ethnogenesis of the Anglo- ...
settlement and a major market town from those times through
Norman Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norm ...
and medieval times to the present day. It is the seat of the Church of England Diocese of Chichester, with a 12th-century cathedral. The city has two main watercourses: the Chichester Canal and the River Lavant. The Lavant, a winterbourne, runs to the south of the city walls; it is hidden mostly in
culvert A culvert is a structure that channels water past an obstacle or to a subterranean waterway. Typically embedded so as to be surrounded by soil, a culvert may be made from a pipe, reinforced concrete or other material. In the United Kingdom ...
s when close to the city centre.


History


Roman period

There is no recorded evidence that the city that became Chichester was a settlement of any size before the coming of the Romans. The area around Chichester is believed to have played a significant part during the Roman invasion of AD 43, as confirmed by evidence of military storage structures in the area of the nearby Fishbourne Roman Palace. The city centre stands on the foundations of the Romano-British city of '' Noviomagus Reginorum'', capital of the ''Civitas Reginorum''. The
Roman road Roman roads ( la, viae Romanae ; singular: ; meaning "Roman way") were physical infrastructure vital to the maintenance and development of the Roman state, and were built from about 300 BC through the expansion and consolidation of the Roman Re ...
of Stane Street, connecting the city with London, started at the east gate, while the Chichester to Silchester road started from the north gate. The plan of the city is inherited from the Romans: the North, South, East and West shopping streets radiate from the central
market cross A market cross, or in Scots, a mercat cross, is a structure used to mark a market square in market towns, where historically the right to hold a regular market or fair was granted by the monarch, a bishop or a baron. History Market crosse ...
dating from medieval times. The original Roman city wall was over thick with a steep ditch (which was later used to divert the River Lavant). It survived for over one and a half thousand years but was then replaced by a thinner
Georgian Georgian may refer to: Common meanings * Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country) ** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group ** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians **Georgian scripts, three scrip ...
wall. The city was also home to some Roman baths, found down Tower Street when preparation for a new car park was underway. A museum, The Novium, preserving the baths was opened on 8 July 2012. An amphitheatre was built outside the city walls, close to the East Gate, in around 80 AD. The area is now a park, but the site of the amphitheatre is discernible as a gentle bank approximately oval in shape; a notice board in the park gives more information. In January 2017, archaeologists using underground radar reported the discovery of the relatively untouched ground floor of a Roman townhouse and outbuilding. The exceptional preservation is due to the fact the site, Priory Park, belonged to a monastery and has never been built upon since Roman times.


Anglo-Saxon period

According to the ''
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle The ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'' is a collection of annals in Old English, chronicling the history of the Anglo-Saxons. The original manuscript of the ''Chronicle'' was created late in the 9th century, probably in Wessex, during the reign of Alf ...
'' it was captured towards the close of the fifth century, by Ælle, and renamed after his son, Cissa. It was the chief city of the Kingdom of Sussex. The most probable source of Chichester's name is from Cissa. The cathedral for the South Saxons was founded in 681 at Selsey; the seat of the bishopric was moved to Chichester in 1075. Chichester was one of the burhs (fortified towns) established by
Alfred the Great Alfred the Great (alt. Ælfred 848/849 – 26 October 899) was King of the West Saxons from 871 to 886, and King of the Anglo-Saxons from 886 until his death in 899. He was the youngest son of King Æthelwulf and his first wife Osburh, who bot ...
, probably in 878–879, making use of the remaining Roman walls. According to the
Burghal Hidage The Burghal Hidage () is an Anglo-Saxon document providing a list of over thirty fortified places (burhs), the majority being in the ancient Kingdom of Wessex, and the taxes (recorded as numbers of hides) assigned for their maintenance.Hill/ Rumb ...
, a list written in the early 10th century, it was one of the biggest of Alfred's burhs, supported by 1500 hides, units of land required to supply one soldier each for the garrison in time of emergency. The system was supported by a communication network based on hilltop beacons to provide early warning. It has been suggested that one such link ran from Chichester to London.


Norman period

When the Domesday Book was compiled, ''Cicestre'' in the Hundred of Stockbridge (comprising 102 households across the five areas outside the city) comprised 300 dwellings which held a population of 1,500 people, and had an annual value of 25 pounds. There was a mill named Kings Mill that would have been rented to local slaves and villeins. After the Battle of Hastings the township of Chichester was handed to Roger de Mongomerie, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury, for courageous efforts in the battle, but it was forfeited in 1104 by the 3rd Earl. Shortly after 1066
Chichester Castle Chichester Castle stood in the city of the same name in West Sussex (). Shortly after the Norman Conquest of England, Roger de Montgomery ordered the construction of a castle at Chichester. The castle at Chichester was one of 11 fortified sites ...
was built by Roger de Mongomerie to consolidate Norman power. In around 1143 the title Earl of Arundel (also known as the Earl of Sussex until that title fell out of use) was created and became the dominant local landowner. In 1216, Chichester Castle, along with Reigate Castle, was captured by the French, but regained the following year, when the castle was ordered to be destroyed by the king. Between 1250 and 1262, the Rape of Chichester was created from the western half of Arundel rape, with the castle as its administrative centre.


Medieval period

In about 1400 Bishop
Robert Reed Robert Reed (born John Robert Rietz Jr.; October 19, 1932 – May 12, 1992) was an American actor. He played Kenneth Preston on the legal drama '' The Defenders'' from 1961 to 1965 alongside E. G. Marshall, and is best known for his role as the ...
erected an impressive cross in the Market Place. Sir James Ware "The Antiquities and History of Ireland" Dublin 1705 At Christmas 1642 during the
First English Civil War The First English Civil War took place in England and Wales from 1642 to 1646, and forms part of the 1639 to 1653 Wars of the Three Kingdoms. They include the Bishops' Wars, the Irish Confederate Wars, the Second English Civil War, the Ang ...
, the city was besieged and St Pancras church was destroyed by gunfire. A military presence was established in the city in 1795 with the construction of a depot on land where the Hawkhurst Gang had been hanged. It was named the Roussillon Barracks in 1958. The military presence had ceased by 2014 and the site was being developed for housing. At the beginning of the 19th-century, Chichester's livestock market was recorded as the second largest in the country.


World War II to present

Chichester was bombed by the Luftwaffe during World War II, but fared relatively well compared to larger English cities. On 11 May 1944, a United States Air Force B-24 Liberator Bomber crashed in the city, killing three, injuring 38, and damaging hundreds of local buildings. In December 1993 and January 1994, Chichester was affected by the
1993–94 West Sussex floods In December 1993 and January 1994, areas of West Sussex experienced flooding. Background From October 1993 to January 1994, there was a significant increase in rainfall in the River Lavant drainage basin, compared to the average. From 1961 ...
. On 21 November 2017, the Chichester District Council adopted a 'Southern Gateway' plan to redevelop an area from the law courts to the canal basin, including the two railway level crossings.


Governance

Historically, Chichester was a city and liberty, thereby largely self-governing. Although it has retained its city status, in 1888 it became a municipal borough, transferring some powers to West Sussex administrative county. In 1974 the municipal borough became part of the much larger Chichester District. There is a city council but it only has the powers of a parish council; control of services is largely in the hands of Chichester District Council and West Sussex County Council. The City Council consists of twenty elected members serving four wards of the city – North, South, East, and West. The Council House on North Street dates from 1731; prior to this the City Corporation had met in
Chichester Guildhall Chichester Guildhall is a building in Chichester, West Sussex, England. The name is a bit of a misnomer, as the building was constructed as a chancel by the Grey Friars of Chichester, an Order of Franciscans. The Grey Friars received the land, no ...
. In addition to its own council offices, those of the Chichester District and the West Sussex County Council are located in the city.


Parliament

Chichester is represented in the House of Commons by the Chichester constituency, held since 8 June 2017 by Gillian Keegan. From 1660 to 1868, Chichester returned two members of Parliament, this was reduced to one member by the Reform Act 1867. The
Conservative Party The Conservative Party is a name used by many political parties around the world. These political parties are generally right-wing though their exact ideologies can range from center-right to far-right. Political parties called The Conservative P ...
is dominant, with the constituency returning a Conservative member at every election since 1868, with the exception of the Liberal
Charles Rudkin Brigadier-General Charles Mark Clement Rudkin Distinguished Service Order, DSO (12 November 1872 – 30 December 1957) was a British soldier, barrister, agriculturist, determined traveller and Liberal Party (UK), Liberal Party politician. Fami ...
in
1923 Events January–February * January 9 – Lithuania begins the Klaipėda Revolt to annex the Klaipėda Region (Memel Territory). * January 11 – Despite strong British protests, troops from France and Belgium occupy the Ruhr area, t ...
. Between 1812 and 1894 the constituency was represented exclusively by members of the
Lennox family Lennox may refer to: Places *Lennox (district), Scotland * Lennox and Addington, electoral district in Ontario, Canada **Lennox (electoral district), a former electoral district in Ontario (1867–1904) * Lennox County, Ontario, Canada *Lennox, ...
.


Arms


Freedom of the City

The following people and organisations have received the
Freedom of the City The Freedom of the City (or Borough in some parts of the UK) is an honour bestowed by a municipality upon a valued member of the community, or upon a visiting celebrity or dignitary. Arising from the medieval practice of granting respected ...
of Chichester. * 1951 – The Royal Sussex Regiment * 1960 – RAF Tangmere * 1981 – The Royal Military Police * 2000 – The West Sussex Fire Brigade * 2008 –
47th Regiment Royal Artillery 47 Regiment Royal Artillery is a regiment of the Royal Artillery in the British Army. It is equipped with the Thales Watchkeeper WK450. It is located at Horne Barracks, Larkhill in Wiltshire. It falls under command of 1st Aviation Brigade. Hi ...
* 2008 –
His Grace His Grace or Her Grace is an English Style (manner of address), style used for various high-ranking personages. It was the style used to address English monarchs until Henry VIII and the Scottish monarchs up to the Act of Union (1707), Act of Unio ...
The Duke of Richmond * 2013 – The Very Reverend
Nicholas Frayling Nicholas Arthur Frayling KStJ (born 29 February 1944) is a British Church of England priest. From September 2002 to February 2014, he served as the Dean of Chichester. Early life and education Frayling was born on 29 February 1944 in South Lond ...
* 2018 –
Major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
Tim Peake
CMG CMG may refer to: Companies * Capitol Music Group, a music label * China Media Group, the predominant state radio and television broadcaster in the PRC * China Media Group Co., Ltd., publicly listed Chinese holding company in the media sector * ...
* 2021 – Philip Jackson
CVO CVO may refer to: Science and technology * Cascades Volcano Observatory, Vancouver, Washington, US * Chief veterinary officer, the head of a veterinary authority * Circumventricular organs, positioned around the ventricular system of the brain * Co ...
DL


Geography

The City of Chichester is located on the River Lavant south of its gap through the South Downs. This winterbourne for part of its course now runs through the city in underground culverts. The city's site made it an ideal place for settlement, with many ancient routeways converging here. The oldest section lies within the medieval walls of the city, which are built on Roman foundations. The Chichester
conservation area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...
, designated for its architectural and historic interest, encompasses the whole of the Roman town, and includes many Grade I and II listed buildings. Further to the north lies the separate conservation area around the former
Graylingwell Hospital Graylingwell Hospital (formerly the West Sussex County Asylum, or West Sussex County Lunatic Asylum) was a psychiatric hospital in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom. Foundation The Local Government Act, 1888 created the administrative co ...
, and to the south, the Chichester Conservation Area has been extended recently to include the newly restored canal basin and part of
the canal The Saintes Maries de la Mer Speed Canal, known to windsurfing, windsurfers as The Canal, is a man-made canal or trench near the France, French Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean coastal town Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, Saintes Maries de la Mer, bu ...
itself. The Conservation Area has been split into eight 'character' areas, based on historic development, building type, uses and activities.


Climate

Chichester has a maritime climate. With its position in southern England, Chichester has mild winters and cool summers. West Sussex has high sunshine levels compared with other parts of the UK with around 1,900 hours annually.


Demography

The 2011 census recorded a population of 26,795 for the city of Chichester, forming 12,316 households. There is a small imbalance in the sex ratio, with 14,184 female residents (52.9%) and 12,611 male residents (47.1%). Chichester is a majority
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
city with 16,245 (60.6%) residents identifying as such. 25,158 residents (93.9%) listed their ethnic group as White. The median age of Chichester city was 40.


Economy

The city has a tourist industry. Several marinas are situated in the area together with related industries. A recent government study suggested that the area has a lot of employment with the public sector (as well as within the tourism and leisure industries), with a growing number of self-employed people in the area.


Culture

The city holds an annual four-week arts and music festival ("Festival of Chichester") held in June and July. Chichester Festival Theatre, is one of the United Kingdom's flagship producing and touring theatres, whose annual summer season attracts actors, writers and directors from the West End theatre and the USA.
Pallant House Gallery Pallant House Gallery is an art gallery in Chichester, West Sussex, England. It houses one of the best collections of 20th-century British art in the world. History The Gallery's collection is founded on works left to the city of Chichester by ...
, winner of the 2007 gallery of the year Gulbenkian Prize, has a major collection of chiefly modern British art and in 2006 opened a new extension that houses the collection of Sir
Colin St John Wilson Sir Colin Alexander St John ("Sandy") Wilson, FRIBA, RA, (14 March 1922 – 14 May 2007) was an English architect, lecturer and author. He spent over 30 years progressing the project to build a new British Library in London, originally planned t ...
. It has a changing programme of exhibitions. Chichester is home to the South Downs Planetarium & Science Centre, which opened in 2001 and features a program of public star shows in its 100-seat theatre. The
Sloe Fair The Sloe Fair is a travelling funfair that is held annually on 20 October at Northgate carpark in Chichester, West Sussex. The fair was first held in 1107
, a funfair that dates back to the 12th Century, is held annually on 20 October in the city's Northgate car park. Chichester Cinema at New Park is the city's first and only arthouse cinema. It shows a selection of mainstream, small-budget and older films 7 days a week. It hosts an annual 18-day International Film Festival in August/September. Vice-presidents are Dame Maggie Smith and Kenneth Branagh. There is a larger, multiplex cinema located at Chichester Gate. Chichester's previous cinemas were the Olympia Electric on Northgate (1911-1922). the
Plaza CInema Plaza Cinema may refer to the following cinemas in England: *Plaza Cinema, Chichester (1920–1960) *Plaza Cinema, Skipton (1912–present) *Plaza Cinema, Stockport The Plaza Super Cinema and Variety Theatre cinema in Stockport, England () opene ...
on South Street (1920-1960, the Odeon from 1945 and now Iceland supermarket), the Granada Exchange at the Corn Exchange (1922-1980) and the Gaumont on Eastgate Square (1937-1961, later the swimming baths). The Chichester Open Mic has supported regular programmes of readings by contemporary poets in the city since 2010. It also hosts a high-profile annual event under the banner Poetry and All That Jazz which included performances by Don Paterson in 2010, Sam Willetts in 2011, and
David Harsent David Harsent (born in Devon) is an English poet who for some time earned his living as a TV scriptwriter and crime novelist. Background During his early career he was part of a circle of poets centred on Ian Hamilton and forming something of a ...
in 2012. In 2012 The Novium, Chichester's museum, was opened by author Kate Mosse. Designed by the architect Keith Williams, is approximately 2.4 times the size of the previous museum in Little London. Key highlights are Roman Bath House, Jupiter Stone and Chilgrove Mosaic. In May 2013 Chichester hosted the
Chichester Street Art Festival Chichester Street Art Festival took place in Chichester, West Sussex, England in May 2013. Street artists decorated a large number of locations throughout the city with street art. The festival was jointly organised by Street Art London and Neil ...
week where international street artists created colourful murals around the city. Chichester is mentioned in a 1992 episode of '' A Bit of Fry and Laurie'', the 2003 film '' Bright Young Things'' directed by Stephen Fry, the 2005 film '' Stoned'' about Brian Jones from the Rolling Stones, and also in the 2009 film ''
Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a " consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and ...
''. The city is periodically referred to in '' Call the Midwife'', as the seat of the Order of
Saint Raymond Nonnatus Raymond Nonnatus, O. de M. ( ca, Sant Ramon Nonat, es, San Ramón Nonato, french: Saint Raymond Nonnat, mt, San Rajmondo Nonnato), (1204 – 31 August 1240) is a saint from Catalonia in Spain. His nickname ( la, Nonnatus, "not born") refers to ...
, the mother house's exterior being depicted in episode 1.6. The West Sussex Record Office is in Orchard Street and contains the county archives. On 21 April 2017 it was announced that a second parchment manuscript copy of the United States Declaration of Independence, now termed ''The Sussex Declaration'', had been discovered in the archives. Chichester has one of the highest rates of empty homes in England, with 1 in every 17 houses vacant. In October 2020, 3,444 houses were vacant, of which 3,302 were second homes.


Music

Founded in 1881, the Chichester Symphony Orchestra has both amateur and professional players. Three concerts are given each year with the summer concert being part of the Chichester Festivities while the autumn concert is included in the Chichester Cathedral Lunchtime Series. The Chichester Singers, under musical director Jonathan Willcocks, perform classical and contemporary works in concert. The ''Chichester RAJF'' (From "Real Ale and Jazz Festival"), was a four-day festival of music and real ale held each July in tents beside the 13th century Guildhall in Priory Park. Founded in 1980 by members of Chichester Hockey Club as a fund-raising event, the festival's early years focused on traditional jazz and featured performers such as Kenny Ball, Humphrey Lyttelton and Kenny Baker. In the 1990s blues and R&B were introduced and acts including
Status Quo is a Latin phrase meaning the existing state of affairs, particularly with regard to social, political, religious or military issues. In the sociological sense, the ''status quo'' refers to the current state of social structure and/or values. W ...
, Blondie, Boney M, Howard Jones, Go West, The Pretenders and
Simple Minds Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band formed in Glasgow in 1977. They have released a string of hit singles, becoming best known internationally for "Don't You (Forget About Me)" (1985), which topped the '' Billboard'' Hot 100 in the United St ...
played the festival up until its final staging, in 2011.


Twinning

The City of Chichester has been twinned with
Chartres Chartres () is the prefecture of the Eure-et-Loir department in the Centre-Val de Loire region in France. It is located about southwest of Paris. At the 2019 census, there were 170,763 inhabitants in the metropolitan area of Chartres (as d ...
, France, since February 1959 and Ravenna, Italy, since December 1996. Friendship links have also been established with
Marktredwitz Marktredwitz () is a town in the Wunsiedel (district), district of Wunsiedel, in Bavaria, Germany, close to the Czech Republic, Czech border. It is situated 22 km west of Cheb, 50 km east of Bayreuth and 50 km south of Hof/Saale. Ma ...
in Germany,
Kursk Kursk ( rus, Курск, p=ˈkursk) is a city and the administrative center of Kursk Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Kur, Tuskar, and Seym rivers. The area around Kursk was the site of a turning point in the Soviet–German stru ...
in Russia and Valletta in Malta.


Landmarks

The Butter Market in North Street was designed by John Nash, and was opened in 1808 as a food and produce market. In 1900, a second storey was added to the building, originally housing an arts institute. The building has recently been renovated. The Corn Exchange on East Street was built in 1833, one of the first in the country. From the 1880s it was used for drama and entertainment and became a cinema from the 1910s. An attempt to convert it to a bingo hall was refused in 1977. As it could not be converted to a multiplex it was closed on 9 August 1980. It remained closed and unused for six years until the front was opened as a fast food restaurant and the rear converted for offices. From 2005 the front has been used by a clothing retailer. Chichester Cross, which is a type of
buttercross A buttercross, also known as butter cross or butter market, is a type of market cross associated with English market towns and dating from medieval times. Its name originates from the fact that they were located at the market place, where peopl ...
familiar in old market towns, was built in 1501 as a covered marketplace, and stands at the intersection of the four main roads in the centre of the city. In 1921, Sir William Robertson unveiled a war memorial in Eastgate Square for soldiers who died in World War I. The memorial was relocated to
Litten Gardens Litten Gardens is a public park in Chichester, West Sussex, England. The park is maintained by Chichester City Council. Chichester War Memorial is located within the park. History In 2017, Chichester City Council took over maintenance of the ...
in 1940. The City Council has subsequently added the names of soldiers who died in World War II.


Transport


Railway

Chichester railway station Chichester railway station is a railway station in the city of Chichester in West Sussex, England. It is from . The station is located on the Brighton to Portsmouth line of the LBSCR. Passenger services are operated under the brand name We ...
, on the West Coastway Line, has regular services to
Brighton Brighton () is a seaside resort and one of the two main areas of the City of Brighton and Hove in the county of East Sussex, England. It is located south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze A ...
, London Victoria via Gatwick Airport, Portsmouth and Southampton. In the past, there was a branch line to Midhurst in the north and a light railway, built by Colonel HF Stephens; it was known as the West Sussex Railway, which ran south to Selsey, and closed in 1935.


Roads

Chichester is the hub of several main roads. The most important of these is the A27 coastal trunk road, which connects Eastbourne with Southampton; it passes to the south of the city. The A27 connects Chichester to the M3, M27 and M275 motorways. The secondary coastal road, the
A259 The A259 is a road on the south coast of England passing through Hampshire, West Sussex, East Sussex and Kent, and is the longest Zone 2 A road in Great Britain. The main part of the road connects Brighton, Eastbourne, Hastings, Rye and F ...
, which begins its journey at
Folkestone Folkestone ( ) is a port town on the English Channel, in Kent, south-east England. The town lies on the southern edge of the North Downs at a valley between two cliffs. It was an important harbour and shipping port for most of the 19th and 20t ...
in Kent, joins the A27 here and ends in Havant to the west. Both of those roads make east–west connections. Three roads give Chichester access to the north: the A29 to London joins the A27 several miles to the east of the city; the A285 runs north-east to
Petworth Petworth is a small town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Chichester (district), Chichester District of West Sussex, England. It is located at the junction of the A272 road, A272 east–west road from Heathfield, East Sussex ...
and beyond; and the
A286 A286 is a Brazilian rap Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or ...
runs northwards towards
Haslemere The town of Haslemere () and the villages of Shottermill and Grayswood are in south west Surrey, England, around south west of London. Together with the settlements of Hindhead and Beacon Hill, they comprise the civil parish of Haslemere i ...
, Surrey.Ordnance Survey (via coordinates at top of page)


Buses

Chichester bus station, which is adjacent to the railway station, is the local hub for bus services. Operators include Stagecoach in the South Downs and Compass Travel. National Express's
Poole Poole () is a large coastal town and seaport in Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester and adjoins Bournemouth to the east. Since 1 April 2019, the local authority is Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Counc ...
- Gatwick Airport route passes through Chichester.


Air

Chichester/Goodwood Airport Chichester/Goodwood Airport , normally referred to as Goodwood Airfield or Goodwood Aerodrome is located north northeast of Chichester, West Sussex, England. Chichester (Goodwood) Aerodrome has a CAA Ordinary Licence (Number P781) that allows ...
is situated north of the city.


Paths

There are several long-distance routes for walkers, cyclists and riders in the area; some of these routes, like the ''Centurion Way'' to
West Dean West Dean may refer to several places in England: *West Dean, Gloucestershire *West Dean, West Sussex *West Dean, Wiltshire *Westdean Cuckmere Valley is a civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. As its name suggests, the p ...
, start here. Centurion Way was opened in the mid-1990s and runs along the former railway line. The name was chosen by Ben Adams, a local schoolboy who won a competition to name the path. In summer 2020, COVID-19 temporary pop-up segregated cycle lanes were implemented predominately around parts of the city inner ring road and associated routes.


Education

There are three secondary schools in Chichester:
Chichester Free School Chichester Free School is a mixed-sex free school located in Chichester, West Sussex, England. It opened in 2013 and caters for students aged 4–16 years. The school is located on the newly re-developed Carmelite convent site, which was damag ...
(which also has a primary sector in Bognor Regis),
Bishop Luffa School Bishop Luffa School, named after a former Bishop of Chichester, Ralph de Luffa, is a co-educational Church of England secondary school located in Chichester, West Sussex, England. The number of enrolled pupils was around 1,400 in 2010, in eight ...
and
Chichester High School Chichester High School (CHS) is an 11–18 mixed, secondary school and sixth form with academy status in Chichester, West Sussex, England. It was established in September 2016 following the merger of Chichester High School for Boys and Chiche ...
formed after the Chichester High School for Boys and Chichester High School for Girls merged in 2016. In the primary sector there are two infant-only schools: Lancastrian and Rumboldswyke; the Central C of E Junior School; six all-level schools; and two special-needs schools at Fordwater and St Anthony's. There is also a Roman Catholic school, St Richard's Primary School, and a Sure Start Children's Centre, Chichester Nursery School, Children and Family Centre. In the independent sector there are three-day preparatory schools (
Oakwood Preparatory School Funtington is a village and civil parish in the Chichester district of West Sussex, England.OS Explorer map 120: Chichester, South Harting and Selsey Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey – Southampton B2 edition. Publishing Date:2009. It ...
, The Prebendal School and Westbourne House). The higher and further educational institutions include the Chichester High School Sixth Form, which is the largest Sixth Form in West Sussex. It offers a range of A-Level and vocational courses with full use of a wide range of facilities at both boys and girls high schools, Bishop Luffa School sixth form which also offers a range of A-Level courses and Chichester College, formerly Chichester College of Arts, Science and Technology; offers both foundation-level and degree-equivalent courses, mainly focused towards vocational qualifications for industry. The college has recently made significant investment in upgrading facilities, and is now offering a wider range of subject areas in its prospectus. The University of Chichester was granted degree-awarding body status by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority in October 2005.


Religion

Chichester Cathedral, founded in the 11th century, is dedicated to the
Holy Trinity The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the F ...
, and contains a shrine to Saint Richard of Chichester. Its spire, built of the weak local stone, collapsed and was rebuilt during the 19th century. In the south aisle of the cathedral a glass panel in the floor enables a view of the remains of a Roman mosaic pavement. The cathedral is unusual in Britain in having a separate bell tower a few metres away from the main building, rather than integrated into it. Within the cathedral there is a medieval tomb of a knight and his wife, the inspiration of the poem "
An Arundel Tomb "An Arundel Tomb" is a poem by Philip Larkin, written and published in 1956, and subsequently included in his 1964 collection '' The Whitsun Weddings''. It describes the poet's response to seeing a pair of recumbent medieval tomb effigies with the ...
", by Philip Larkin. A memorial statue exists of William Huskisson, once member of parliament for the city, but best remembered as the first man to be run over by a railway engine.
Leonard Bernstein Leonard Bernstein ( ; August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, pianist, music educator, author, and humanitarian. Considered to be one of the most important conductors of his time, he was the first America ...
's ''
Chichester Psalms ''Chichester Psalms'' is an extended choral composition in three movements by Leonard Bernstein for boy treble or countertenor, choir and orchestra. The text was arranged by the composer from the Book of Psalms in the original Hebrew. Part 1 ...
'' were commissioned for the cathedral. The statue of St Richard (pictured left) is by the sculptor Philip Jackson. There are further Philip Jackson sculptures outside the Chichester Festival Theatre and St Richard's Hospital in Chichester. In addition to the cathedral there are five Church of England churches, St Richard's Roman Catholic church and nine religious buildings of other denominations. Redundant churches include the Grade I-listed St John the Evangelist's Church, an octagonal white-brick
proprietary chapel A proprietary chapel is a chapel that originally belonged to a private person, but with the intention that it would be open to the public, rather than restricted (as with private chapels in the stricter sense) to members of a family or household, o ...
with an impressive three-decker pulpit.


Sport and leisure

Chichester City F.C. Chichester City Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in Chichester, West Sussex, England. Affiliated to the Sussex County Football Association, they are currently members of the and play at Oaklands Park. History The club ...
is the main
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
club and is based at
Oaklands Park Oaklands Park is a southern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia in the City of Marion. The Marion Shopping Centre is a major feature of the suburb. History On 14 December 1906, Oaklands was bought by Thomas Currie Tait for £15,000. In 19 ...
. They play in the Isthmian League South East Division. The
rugby Rugby may refer to: Sport * Rugby football in many forms: ** Rugby league: 13 players per side *** Masters Rugby League *** Mod league *** Rugby league nines *** Rugby league sevens *** Touch (sport) *** Wheelchair rugby league ** Rugby union: 1 ...
club, Chichester R.F.C., is also based at Oaklands Park. Chichester Priory Park Cricket Club and Chichester Priory Park Hockey Club share a clubhouse at Priory Park. The city is home to the Chichester Sharks Flag American Football Club who are members of the BAFA National League. Chichester Runners and A.C is a club with runners and athletes of all ages. Other sports include cycling.


Notable people

William Juxon, born 1582, attended The Prebendal School before studying at Oxford. He became chaplain to Charles I and was the last English cleric to hold both church and secular high office. He became
Archbishop of Canterbury The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. The current archbishop is Justi ...
following the
Restoration Restoration is the act of restoring something to its original state and may refer to: * Conservation and restoration of cultural heritage ** Audio restoration ** Film restoration ** Image restoration ** Textile restoration * Restoration ecology ...
.
William Cawley William Cawley (1602 – January 1667) was a regicide and seventeenth century English politician. He was born in Chichester in 1602, the son of John Cawley, a wealthy brewer, and was educated at Chichester Grammar School, Oxford University an ...
, born 1602 in Chichester, was on the other side of the English Civil War. Also educated at Oxford University he became the Member of Parliament for Chichester in 1628 and for Midhurst in 1640. He was a regicide and served on the Council of State during the
Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...
, being forced to flee to Switzerland after the Restoration.T. Peacey, 'Cawley, William (bap. 1602, d. 1667)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 A later MP for the town, William Huskisson was one of the earlier people to die from a railway accident, when he was run over by
Stephenson's Rocket Stephenson's ''Rocket'' is an early steam locomotive of 0-2-2 wheel arrangement. It was built for and won the Rainhill Trials of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway (L&MR), held in October 1829 to show that improved locomotives would be mo ...
at the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. In modern times middle-distance runner
Christopher Chataway Sir Christopher John Chataway (31 January 1931 – 19 January 2014) was a British middle- and long-distance runner, television news broadcaster, and Conservative politician. Education He was born in Chelsea, London, the son of James Denys ...
was elected to Parliament in 1969. Military people have included Edric Gifford, 3rd Baron Gifford who won a Victoria Cross during the
Third Anglo-Ashanti War The Anglo-Ashanti wars were a series of five conflicts that took place between 1824 and 1900 between the Ashanti Empire—in the Akan interior of the Gold Coast—and the British Empire and its African allies. Though the Ashanti emerged victorio ...
. General Charles Harington Harington served in the Second Boer War and as a staff officer throughout World War I, and military theorist Major General
J. F. C. Fuller Major-General John Frederick Charles "Boney" Fuller (1 September 1878 – 10 February 1966) was a senior British Army officer, military historian, and strategist, known as an early theorist of modern armoured warfare, including categorising pr ...
planned the first large scale tank assault at the Battle of Cambrai in 1917. Artists who were born or lived most of their lives in Chichester include Richard Buckner,
Heywood Hardy Heywood Hardy (25 November 1842 – 20 January 1933) was a British artist, in particular an animal painter and painter of horse riding scenes. He also painted landscapes and portraits, especially equestrian portraits. Early life Heywood Hard ...
,
James Hayllar James Hayllar (1829–1920) was an English genre, portrait and landscape painter. Life and work Hayllar was born in Chichester in Sussex (now West Sussex), and received his training in art at Cary's Art Academy in London; he painted Cary's ...
, William Shayer and George Smith. Author Kate Mosse (born 1961) studied at Chichester High School For Girls, living in Chichester until moving to Oxford to attend New College. She is author of the first main-stage new play by a woman at Chichester Festival Theatre, an adaptation of her novel ''The Taxidermist's Daughter'', set in and around Chichester. Tim Peake, who became the first official British astronaut when he arrived on the International Space Station in December 2015, was born in Chichester in 1972. Peake attended the Chichester High School for Boys, which now has a Sports and Conference centre named after him and opened by him. Tom Odell, who was born in Chichester, is a singer and songwriter who gained success with his album, ''
Wrong Crowd ''Wrong Crowd'' is the second studio album by British singer-songwriter Tom Odell. It was released on 10 June 2016. Odell's first major release since his 2013 debut, ''Long Way Down'', achieved international success, it was also his first album r ...
''.
Edward Bradford Titchener Edward Bradford Titchener (11 January 1867 – 3 August 1927) was an English psychologist who studied under Wilhelm Wundt for several years. Titchener is best known for creating his version of psychology that described the structure of the mind: ...
, born in Chichester, created the school of thought in psychology that described the structure of the mind:
structuralism In sociology, anthropology, archaeology, history, philosophy, and linguistics, structuralism is a general theory of culture and methodology that implies that elements of human culture must be understood by way of their relationship to a broader ...
.

Public services

Territorial policing The Metropolitan Police of Greater London is organised into four main directorates, each with differing responsibilities. These are Frontline Policing (formerly Territorial Policing), Met Operations (formerly Specialist Crime & Operations), Spe ...
in Chichester is provided by
Sussex Police Sussex Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing in the whole of Sussex. Its jurisdiction covers the ceremonial counties of East Sussex and West Sussex. The force is headquartered in Malling House, Lewes, East Sussex. His ...
, who have a station and a custody suite in Chichester on Kingsham Road. The Police and Crime Commissioner is
Katy Bourne Katy Elizabeth Bourne (born October 1964) is a Conservative politician who has served as the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner since winning the inaugural election in Sussex in November 2012. In 2016, she was re-elected for a second term ...
. Statutory emergency fire and rescue service is provided by the West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, which has a station in Northgate.
St Richard's Hospital St Richard's Hospital is a medium-sized District General Hospital (DGH) located in Chichester, West Sussex, England. It is now part of University Hospitals Sussex. History The hospital has its origins in a facility named after Richard de Wych, ...
, on Spitalfield Lane, is a medium-sized NHS hospital administrated by the University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust. The South East Coast Ambulance Service provides emergency patient transport to and from this facility. Nuffield Health operates a private hospital in the city. Chichester's distribution network operator for electricity is Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks, and for gas is SGN.
Portsmouth Water Portsmouth Water is the utility company responsible for water supply and distribution in the City of Portsmouth, part of East Hampshire and part of West Sussex. Places served include Gosport, Fareham, Portsmouth, Havant, Chichester, and Bognor R ...
manages Chichester's drinking water, whilst
Southern Water Southern Water is the private utility company responsible for the public wastewater collection and treatment in Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, West Sussex, East Sussex and Kent, and for the public water supply and distribution in approximately ...
manages the city's wastewater.


References


Further reading

* * * *


External links


Chichester District Council

British History Online - The City of Chichester - Historical Introduction
* {{Authority control Cities in South East England County towns in England Local government in West Sussex Market towns in West Sussex Staple ports Towns in West Sussex