Chichester Cathedral
Encyclopedia
The Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, otherwise called Chichester Cathedral, is the seat of the Anglican
Bishop of Chichester. It is located in Chichester
, in Sussex
, England
. It was founded as a cathedral in 1075, when the seat of the bishop was moved from Selsey
.
Chichester Cathedral has fine architecture in both the Norman
and the Gothic
styles, and has been called by the architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner
"the most typical English Cathedral". Despite this, Chichester has two architectural features that are unique among England's medieval cathedrals—a free-standing medieval bell tower (or campanile
) and double aisles. The cathedral contains two rare medieval sculptures, and many modern art works including tapestries, stained glass and sculpture, many of these commissioned by Dean Hussey
.
The city of Chichester, though it retains two main cross streets laid out by the Romans, has always been small enough for the city's entire population to fit inside the cathedral at once, causing Daniel Defoe
to comment:
The spire of Chichester Cathedral, rising above its green copper roof, can be seen for many miles across the flat meadows of West Sussex and is a landmark for sailors, Chichester being one of only two medieval English cathedrals that is visible from the sea, the other being its near neighbour, Portsmouth Cathedral
.
at Selsey
. The seat of the bishop was transferred here in 1075. It was consecrated in 1108 under Bishop Ralph de Luffa
. In 1187 a fire which burnt out the cathedral and destroyed much of the town 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.
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.
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 destroyed in 1538, during the first stages of the English Reformation
. In 1642 the cathedral came under siege
by Parliamentary troops.
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 facade collapsed in 1210 and was rebuilt. The north-west tower collapsed in 1635 and was not rebuilt until 1901. The masonry spire was built in the 14th century and was repaired in the 17th century by Sir Christopher Wren
. It survived a lightning strike in 1721 and stood for 450 years before it telescoped in on itself on February 21, 1861, fortunately without loss of life. A fund was set up to raise the £48,000 needed for the rebuilding, and the contributors included Queen Victoria. It was rebuilt, a few feet taller, by Sir George Gilbert Scott
and completed in five years. It now rises to a height of 82 metres. The rubble from the original spire was used to construct West Ashling Chapel.
The plan of Chichester is in the shape of a cross, with an aisled nave and choir, crossed by a transept (See below). In typically English manner, the eastern end of the building is long by comparison with the nave, is square ended and has a projecting Lady chapel. Also typically English is the arrangement of paired towers on the western front, and a taller central tower over the crossing. Its plan is unusual for England in having double aisles. Chester has a cloister on the south side of the building.
Chichester was small, for a Norman cathedral, when compared with Winchester, Peterborough and Ely. The Norman construction of the early 12th century can be seen in the nave, which rises in the usual three stages of arcade, gallery and clerestory. It is similar to remaining Norman work at Winchester, where the arcade is proportionally low, and rests on solid piers rather than columns. In the gallery above, each wide space is divided into two by a column.
After the fire of 1187, the building was given a ribbed vault in the Early English Gothic
style and the eastern end was extended from the round ambulatory to form a square retrochoir or presbytery with lancet windows in a style that is transitional between Norman and Gothic. The vault is supported externally by flying buttresses and large terminal pinnacles at the eastern end. At this time the entire interior was refurbished, much of it being refaced with ashlar masonry. Each pier was decorated with delicate shafts of dark Purbeck marble
with foliate capitals, contrasting with the squat cushion capitals of the limestone shafts. The nave is divided from the choir by an elegant Perpendicular
screen or pulpitum
with three arched openings, called the Arundel Screen, which was removed in the mid 19th century but reinstated in 1961.
The design of the central tower, faithfully reproduced by George Gilbert Scott in the 19th century, was of the Early English
style, having on each side two tall pairs of openings, surrounded by deep mouldings. The Lady chapel, constructed to the east of the retro-choir, is a long narrow space, with large windows in the Decorated Gothic style of the late 13th century. The spire, which is masonry rather than of sheathed wood, was built in the late 14th century, by John Mason (died ca 1403), who also built the Vicars' Hall. The style and construction of the spire are obviously based on that of Salisbury Cathedral
but it is not as ambitiously tall, probably because of the problem of subsidence.
The other buildings related to the cathedral are the free-standing bell-tower of the early 15th century, probably the work of William Wynford who also designed the cloisters, with openings in the Perpendicular
style. St Mary's Almshouses in Chichester, which are linked to the cathedral, are a Christian charity dating from the 13th century. The medieval Hospital, associated with the Alms House, is one of only two such buildings in the world, the other being in Germany.
The cathedral has many treasures and artworks, the most precious being two carved reliefs dating from the 12th century and which are of exceptional rarity among English sculpture. Other ancient treasures include the remains of a Roman
mosaic pavement, which can be viewed through a glass window, and a set of thirty eight medieval misericords, dating from 1330, which remain beneath the seats of the choir, despite the fact that the other parts of the choir stalls are largely Victorian reconstruction.
Among the famous graves are those of the composer Gustav Holst
and the gothic "Arundel tomb", showing the recumbent Richard FitzAlan, Earl of Arundel (1313–1376), holding hands with his second wife, Eleanor of Lancaster (1318–1372). The tomb was celebrated in the poem An Arundel Tomb
by Philip Larkin
. Leonard Bernstein
composed Chichester Psalms
for Chichester Cathedral.
The cathedral contains many modern works of art, including tapestries
by John Piper
and Ursula Benker-Schirmer, a window by Marc Chagall
, a painting by Graham Sutherland
(Noli me Tangere), and a reredos
for the St John the Baptist
's Chapel by Patrick Procktor
. Outside the cathedral stands a bronze statue of St Richard of Chichester by Philip Jackson
.
The Dean
is the Very Reverend
Nicholas Frayling
. Educated at the University of Exeter
and Cuddesdon College
, Frayling has lectured on inter-faith
and political reconciliation. Formerly Canon
Precentor
of Liverpool Cathedral
, he was appointed Dean of Chichester in September 2002.
Chichester's Precentor
is Canon Tim Schofield
. Educated at Durham University
and Christ's College, Cambridge
, Schofield taught music at Exeter School
before his ordination
. Before his 2006 appointment to Chichester, he held ministry in Exeter
and St Albans.
Installed on 30 September 2007, the Chancellor
is the Reverend Canon Dr Anthony Cane. Dr Cane has previously been University Chaplain
at Brighton
, Adult Training Officer in the Diocese of Exeter
and Adult Education Officer for Chichester
.
The Treasurer is Canon Ian Gibson, a former Chaplain to the Bishop of Chichester
, John Hind
.
Lay
members of the chapter are Mrs Sara Stonor and Dr John Dalgleish and Cdre David Mowlam RN who, as Communar, is an ex-officio member.
The music at Chichester Cathedral is largely led by the organ and the Cathedral choir, as there are services daily and on special days in the calender. Outside the regular services the Cathedral also supports all kinds of music both religious and secular.
There are now five pipe organs of different sizes and styles at Chichester Cathedral, with pipes of the Main Organ dating to the Restoration
, the Hurd Organ to the late 18th century and the three most recent organs, the Nave Organ, the Walker Organ, which is a small portable organ in the Baroque style, and the Allen Organ, an early example of a digital electronic organ, dating to the late 20th century.
The earliest recorded organist of Chichester Cathedral is William Campion in 1543. The role of "Cathedral Organist" is combined with that of "Master of Choristers". Since the 1870s there has been an official appointment of an "Assistant Organist".
Several well-known composers have served as cathedral organist, including Thomas Weelkes during the early 17th century, and Edward Thorne who in the 1860s composed his anthem "I was Glad" for the reopening of the Chichester Cathedral after the restoration of the spire.
Chichester Cathedral Choir, consists of fourteen choristers, four probationers educated at the Prebendal School
, and six lay vicars who are professional musicians. The organist and master of choristers, Sarah Baldock
, is only the second woman to be appointed to the senior musical post at a cathedral in England.
During school term, the cathedral choir sing for eight services each week. As well as singing, choristers learn the piano and an orchestral instrument, spending at least eighteen hours a week on musical performance.
The choir regularly tours abroad, and in recent years has visited France, Northern Bavaria (Bamberg, Bayreuth, Nurenberg and Wurzburg), and makes frequent visits to Chartres. In spring 2005, the choir made a successful tour to South Africa.
and elsewhere that sing in the cathedral from time to time. It is common for guest choirs to sing at evensong
during the week.
The Royal School of Church Music hold some of their events in the cathedral, this includes the Diocesan Choir Festival where all the parish choirs of the diocese sing en masse in a service. To accommodate the large number of choristers, they are split over two succeeding Saturdays. The music for the festival is currently directed by Sarah Baldock.
The cathedral hosts a variety of concerts, that along with those in the evening, includes a popular series of free ones, at lunchtime. It provides a venue for visiting artists from across the world as well as those who are locally based, such as the Chichester Singers, who although an independent organisation, have since their formation in 1954, performed all their major concerts in the cathedral.
The cathedral does not limit the music to just classical, it has hosted a performance by the rock band, Pink Floyd
, who played at the funeral of their manager, Steve O'Rourke
.
Other performers, from the more popular end of the music spectrum, include Bob Geldof
, Rolf Harris
and The Hollies
.
s, which use a crenellated turret at the base of the spire. Three female and one male chicks were hatched in April 2009. During the nesting season live video of the chicks is shown inside the cathedral and on the internet.
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
Bishop of Chichester. It is located in Chichester
Chichester
Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
, in Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It was founded as a cathedral in 1075, when the seat of the bishop was moved from Selsey
Selsey Abbey
Selsey Abbey was almost certainly built at Church Norton, Selsey, Sussex, England. It was founded in 683AD, and became the seat of the Sussex bishopric, until it was moved in 1075AD to Chichester.-Historical Context :...
.
Chichester Cathedral has fine architecture in both the Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
and the Gothic
English Gothic architecture
English Gothic is the name of the architectural style that flourished in England from about 1180 until about 1520.-Introduction:As with the Gothic architecture of other parts of Europe, English Gothic is defined by its pointed arches, vaulted roofs, buttresses, large windows, and spires...
styles, and has been called by the architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner
Nikolaus Pevsner
Sir Nikolaus Bernhard Leon Pevsner, CBE, FBA was a German-born British scholar of history of art and, especially, of history of architecture...
"the most typical English Cathedral". Despite this, Chichester has two architectural features that are unique among England's medieval cathedrals—a free-standing medieval bell tower (or campanile
Campanile
Campanile is an Italian word meaning "bell tower" . The term applies to bell towers which are either part of a larger building or free-standing, although in American English, the latter meaning has become prevalent.The most famous campanile is probably the Leaning Tower of Pisa...
) and double aisles. The cathedral contains two rare medieval sculptures, and many modern art works including tapestries, stained glass and sculpture, many of these commissioned by Dean Hussey
Walter Hussey
Walter Hussey was an Anglican clergyman who had a great fondness for the arts, commissioning a number of musical compositions and visual art for the church as well as amassing his own collection....
.
The city of Chichester, though it retains two main cross streets laid out by the Romans, has always been small enough for the city's entire population to fit inside the cathedral at once, causing Daniel Defoe
Daniel Defoe
Daniel Defoe , born Daniel Foe, was an English trader, writer, journalist, and pamphleteer, who gained fame for his novel Robinson Crusoe. Defoe is notable for being one of the earliest proponents of the novel, as he helped to popularise the form in Britain and along with others such as Richardson,...
to comment:
I cannot say much of Chichester, in which, if six or seven good families were removed, there would not be much conversation, except what is to be found among the canons, and the dignitaries of the cathedral.
The spire of Chichester Cathedral, rising above its green copper roof, can be seen for many miles across the flat meadows of West Sussex and is a landmark for sailors, Chichester being one of only two medieval English cathedrals that is visible from the sea, the other being its near neighbour, Portsmouth Cathedral
Portsmouth Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of St Thomas of Canterbury, Portsmouth, commonly known as Portsmouth Cathedral, is the Church of England cathedral of the City of Portsmouth, England and is located in the heart of Old Portsmouth...
.
History
Chichester Cathedral was built to replace the cathedral founded in 681 by St. Wilfrid for the South SaxonsKingdom of Sussex
The Kingdom of Sussex or Kingdom of the South Saxons was a Saxon colony and later independent kingdom of the Saxons, on the south coast of England. Its boundaries coincided in general with those of the earlier kingdom of the Regnenses and the later county of Sussex. A large part of its territory...
at Selsey
Selsey
Selsey is a seaside town and civil parish, about seven miles south of Chichester, in the Chichester District of West Sussex, England. Selsey lies at the southernmost point of the Manhood Peninsula, almost cut off from mainland Sussex by the sea...
. The seat of the bishop was transferred here in 1075. It was consecrated in 1108 under Bishop Ralph de Luffa
Ralph de Luffa
Ralph de Luffa was an English bishop of Chichester, from 1091 to 1123. He built extensively on his cathedral as well as being praised by contemporary writers as an exemplary bishop. He took little part in the Investiture Crisis which took place in England during his episcopate...
. In 1187 a fire which burnt out the cathedral and destroyed much of the town 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.
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.
In 1262, Richard de la Wyche, who was bishop from 1245 to 1253, was canonised as Saint Richard of Chichester
Richard of Chichester
Richard of Chichester is a saint who was Bishop of Chichester...
. His shrine made the cathedral a place of pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
. The shrine was ordered destroyed in 1538, during the first stages of the English Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
. In 1642 the cathedral came under siege
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
by Parliamentary troops.
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 facade collapsed in 1210 and was rebuilt. The north-west tower collapsed in 1635 and was not rebuilt until 1901. The masonry spire was built in the 14th century and was repaired in the 17th century by Sir Christopher Wren
Christopher Wren
Sir Christopher Wren FRS is one of the most highly acclaimed English architects in history.He used to be accorded responsibility for rebuilding 51 churches in the City of London after the Great Fire in 1666, including his masterpiece, St. Paul's Cathedral, on Ludgate Hill, completed in 1710...
. It survived a lightning strike in 1721 and stood for 450 years before it telescoped in on itself on February 21, 1861, fortunately without loss of life. A fund was set up to raise the £48,000 needed for the rebuilding, and the contributors included Queen Victoria. It was rebuilt, a few feet taller, by Sir George Gilbert Scott
George Gilbert Scott
Sir George Gilbert Scott was an English architect of the Victorian Age, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches, cathedrals and workhouses...
and completed in five years. It now rises to a height of 82 metres. The rubble from the original spire was used to construct West Ashling Chapel.
Architecture
Typically for English cathedrals, Chichester has had a long and varied building history marked by a number of disasters. The architectural history of the building is revealed in its fabric because the builders of different periods constructed in different styles and with changing technology. Both inside and outside portions of the original Norman cathedral can be distinguished from the later Gothic work by the massive construction and round-topped windows. Different Gothic styles from the late 12th century through to the 15th can also be identified.The plan of Chichester is in the shape of a cross, with an aisled nave and choir, crossed by a transept (See below). In typically English manner, the eastern end of the building is long by comparison with the nave, is square ended and has a projecting Lady chapel. Also typically English is the arrangement of paired towers on the western front, and a taller central tower over the crossing. Its plan is unusual for England in having double aisles. Chester has a cloister on the south side of the building.
Chichester was small, for a Norman cathedral, when compared with Winchester, Peterborough and Ely. The Norman construction of the early 12th century can be seen in the nave, which rises in the usual three stages of arcade, gallery and clerestory. It is similar to remaining Norman work at Winchester, where the arcade is proportionally low, and rests on solid piers rather than columns. In the gallery above, each wide space is divided into two by a column.
After the fire of 1187, the building was given a ribbed vault in the Early English Gothic
English Gothic architecture
English Gothic is the name of the architectural style that flourished in England from about 1180 until about 1520.-Introduction:As with the Gothic architecture of other parts of Europe, English Gothic is defined by its pointed arches, vaulted roofs, buttresses, large windows, and spires...
style and the eastern end was extended from the round ambulatory to form a square retrochoir or presbytery with lancet windows in a style that is transitional between Norman and Gothic. The vault is supported externally by flying buttresses and large terminal pinnacles at the eastern end. At this time the entire interior was refurbished, much of it being refaced with ashlar masonry. Each pier was decorated with delicate shafts of dark Purbeck marble
Purbeck Marble
Purbeck Marble is a fossiliferous limestone quarried in the Isle of Purbeck, a peninsula in south-east Dorset, England.It is one of many kinds of Purbeck Limestone, deposited in the late Jurassic or early Cretaceous periods....
with foliate capitals, contrasting with the squat cushion capitals of the limestone shafts. The nave is divided from the choir by an elegant Perpendicular
English Gothic architecture
English Gothic is the name of the architectural style that flourished in England from about 1180 until about 1520.-Introduction:As with the Gothic architecture of other parts of Europe, English Gothic is defined by its pointed arches, vaulted roofs, buttresses, large windows, and spires...
screen or pulpitum
Pulpitum
The pulpitum is a common feature in medieval cathedral and monastic architecture in Europe. It is a massive screen, most often constructed of stone, or occasionally timber, that divides the choir from the nave and ambulatory The pulpitum is a common feature in medieval cathedral and monastic...
with three arched openings, called the Arundel Screen, which was removed in the mid 19th century but reinstated in 1961.
The design of the central tower, faithfully reproduced by George Gilbert Scott in the 19th century, was of the Early English
English Gothic architecture
English Gothic is the name of the architectural style that flourished in England from about 1180 until about 1520.-Introduction:As with the Gothic architecture of other parts of Europe, English Gothic is defined by its pointed arches, vaulted roofs, buttresses, large windows, and spires...
style, having on each side two tall pairs of openings, surrounded by deep mouldings. The Lady chapel, constructed to the east of the retro-choir, is a long narrow space, with large windows in the Decorated Gothic style of the late 13th century. The spire, which is masonry rather than of sheathed wood, was built in the late 14th century, by John Mason (died ca 1403), who also built the Vicars' Hall. The style and construction of the spire are obviously based on that of Salisbury Cathedral
Salisbury Cathedral
Salisbury Cathedral, formally known as the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is an Anglican cathedral in Salisbury, England, considered one of the leading examples of Early English architecture....
but it is not as ambitiously tall, probably because of the problem of subsidence.
The other buildings related to the cathedral are the free-standing bell-tower of the early 15th century, probably the work of William Wynford who also designed the cloisters, with openings in the Perpendicular
English Gothic architecture
English Gothic is the name of the architectural style that flourished in England from about 1180 until about 1520.-Introduction:As with the Gothic architecture of other parts of Europe, English Gothic is defined by its pointed arches, vaulted roofs, buttresses, large windows, and spires...
style. St Mary's Almshouses in Chichester, which are linked to the cathedral, are a Christian charity dating from the 13th century. The medieval Hospital, associated with the Alms House, is one of only two such buildings in the world, the other being in Germany.
Treasures
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
mosaic pavement, which can be viewed through a glass window, and a set of thirty eight medieval misericords, dating from 1330, which remain beneath the seats of the choir, despite the fact that the other parts of the choir stalls are largely Victorian reconstruction.
Among the famous graves are those of the composer Gustav Holst
Gustav Holst
Gustav Theodore Holst was an English composer. He is most famous for his orchestral suite The Planets....
and the gothic "Arundel tomb", showing the recumbent Richard FitzAlan, Earl of Arundel (1313–1376), holding hands with his second wife, Eleanor of Lancaster (1318–1372). The tomb was celebrated in the poem An Arundel Tomb
An Arundel Tomb
"An Arundel Tomb" is a poem by Philip Larkin, published in 1964 in his collection The Whitsun Weddings. It comprises 7 verses of 6 lines each, each rhyming abbcac....
by Philip Larkin
Philip Larkin
Philip Arthur Larkin, CH, CBE, FRSL is widely regarded as one of the great English poets of the latter half of the twentieth century...
. Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
composed Chichester Psalms
Chichester Psalms
Chichester Psalms is a choral work by Leonard Bernstein for boy treble or countertenor, solo quartet, choir and orchestra...
for Chichester Cathedral.
The cathedral contains many modern works of art, including tapestries
Tapestry
Tapestry is a form of textile art, traditionally woven on a vertical loom, however it can also be woven on a floor loom as well. It is composed of two sets of interlaced threads, those running parallel to the length and those parallel to the width ; the warp threads are set up under tension on a...
by John Piper
John Piper (artist)
John Egerton Christmas Piper, CH was a 20th-century English painter and printmaker. For much of his life he lived at Fawley Bottom in Buckinghamshire, near Henley-on-Thames.-Life:...
and Ursula Benker-Schirmer, a window by Marc Chagall
Marc Chagall
Marc Chagall Art critic Robert Hughes referred to Chagall as "the quintessential Jewish artist of the twentieth century."According to art historian Michael J...
, a painting by Graham Sutherland
Graham Sutherland
Graham Vivien Sutherland OM was an English artist.-Early life:He was born in Streatham, attending Homefield Preparatory School, Sutton. He was then educated at Epsom College, Surrey before going up to Goldsmiths, University of London...
(Noli me Tangere), and a reredos
Reredos
thumb|300px|right|An altar and reredos from [[St. Josaphat's Roman Catholic Church|St. Josaphat Catholic Church]] in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]. This would be called a [[retable]] in many other languages and countries....
for the St John the Baptist
John the Baptist
John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus, who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River...
's Chapel by Patrick Procktor
Patrick Procktor
Patrick Procktor RA was a prominent English artist of the late 20th century.-Early life:Patrick Procktor was born in Dublin, the younger son of an oil company accountant, but moved to London when his father died in 1940...
. Outside the cathedral stands a bronze statue of St Richard of Chichester by Philip Jackson
Philip Jackson (sculptor)
Philip Henry Christopher Jackson CVO is an award-winning Scottish sculptor, noted for his modern style and emphasis on form. Acting as Royal Sculptor to Queen Elizabeth II, his sculptures appear in numerous UK cities, as well as Argentina and Switzerland.His twice life-size bronze statue of...
.
Dean and Chapter
Dean (religion)
A dean, in a church context, is a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy. The title is used mainly in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.-Anglican Communion:...
is the Very Reverend
Very Reverend
The Very Reverend is a style given to certain religious figures.*In the Roman Catholic Church, by custom, priests who hold positions of particular note: e.g...
Nicholas Frayling
Nicholas Frayling
The Very Reverend Nicholas Frayling is the Dean of Chichester Cathedral. Educated at the University of Exeter and Cuddesdon College, Frayling has lectured on inter-faith and political reconciliation. Formerly Canon Precentor of Liverpool Cathedral, he was appointed Dean of Chichester in...
. Educated at the University of Exeter
University of Exeter
The University of Exeter is a public university in South West England. It belongs to the 1994 Group, an association of 19 of the United Kingdom's smaller research-intensive universities....
and Cuddesdon College
Ripon College Cuddesdon
Ripon College Cuddesdon is a Church of England theological college in Cuddesdon, a village outside Oxford, England.-History:Ripon College Cuddesdon was formed from an amalgamation in 1975 of Cuddesdon College and Ripon Hall...
, Frayling has lectured on inter-faith
Interfaith
The term interfaith dialogue refers to cooperative, constructive and positive interaction between people of different religious traditions and/or spiritual or humanistic beliefs, at both the individual and institutional levels...
and political reconciliation. Formerly Canon
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
Precentor
Precentor
A precentor is a person who helps facilitate worship. The details vary depending on the religion, denomination, and era in question. The Latin derivation is "præcentor", from cantor, meaning "the one who sings before" ....
of Liverpool Cathedral
Liverpool Cathedral
Liverpool Cathedral is the Church of England cathedral of the Diocese of Liverpool, built on St James's Mount in Liverpool and is the seat of the Bishop of Liverpool. Its official name is the Cathedral Church of Christ in Liverpool but it is dedicated to Christ and the Blessed Virgin...
, he was appointed Dean of Chichester in September 2002.
Chichester's Precentor
Precentor
A precentor is a person who helps facilitate worship. The details vary depending on the religion, denomination, and era in question. The Latin derivation is "præcentor", from cantor, meaning "the one who sings before" ....
is Canon Tim Schofield
Tim Schofield
The Revd Canon Tim Schofield is the Precentor of Chichester Cathedral. Educated at Durham University and Christ's College, Cambridge, Schofield taught music at Exeter School before his ordination. Before his 2006 appointment to Chichester Cathedral, he held ministry in Exeter and St...
. Educated at Durham University
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
and Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.With a reputation for high academic standards, Christ's College averaged top place in the Tompkins Table from 1980-2000 . In 2011, Christ's was placed sixth.-College history:...
, Schofield taught music at Exeter School
Exeter School
Exeter School is a selective independent co-educational day school for pupils between the ages of 7 and 18 located in Exeter, Devon, England. In 2010 there were around 180 pupils in the Junior School and 670 in the Senior School...
before his ordination
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
. Before his 2006 appointment to Chichester, he held ministry in Exeter
Diocese of Exeter
The Diocese of Exeter is a Church of England diocese covering the county of Devon. It is one of the largest dioceses in England. The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter in Exeter is the seat of the diocesan bishop, the Right Reverend Michael Langrish, Bishop of Exeter. It is part of the Province of...
and St Albans.
Installed on 30 September 2007, the Chancellor
Chancellor (ecclesiastical)
Two quite distinct officials of some Christian churches have the title Chancellor.*In some churches, the Chancellor of a diocese is a lawyer who represents the church in legal matters....
is the Reverend Canon Dr Anthony Cane. Dr Cane has previously been University Chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
at Brighton
University of Brighton
The University of Brighton is an English university of the United Kingdom, with a community of over 23,000 students and 2,600 staff based on campuses in Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings. It has one of the best teaching quality ratings in the UK and a strong research record, factors which...
, Adult Training Officer in the Diocese of Exeter
Diocese of Exeter
The Diocese of Exeter is a Church of England diocese covering the county of Devon. It is one of the largest dioceses in England. The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter in Exeter is the seat of the diocesan bishop, the Right Reverend Michael Langrish, Bishop of Exeter. It is part of the Province of...
and Adult Education Officer for Chichester
Diocese of Chichester
The Diocese of Chichester is a Church of England diocese based in Chichester, covering Sussex. It was created in 1075 to replace the old Diocese of Selsey, which was based at Selsey Abbey from 681. The cathedral is Chichester Cathedral and the bishop is the Bishop of Chichester...
.
The Treasurer is Canon Ian Gibson, a former Chaplain to the Bishop of Chichester
Bishop of Chichester
The Bishop of Chichester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Chichester in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers the Counties of East and West Sussex. The see is in the City of Chichester where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity...
, John Hind
John William Hind
John William Hind is a theologian and the Bishop of Chichester in the Church of England.-Education and career:...
.
Lay
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
members of the chapter are Mrs Sara Stonor and Dr John Dalgleish and Cdre David Mowlam RN who, as Communar, is an ex-officio member.
Music
Organs and organists
There has been organ music at Chichester Cathedral almost continuously since the medieval period, with a break during the Commonwealth. The cathedral currently has five pipe organs which are the major source of instrumental music, being played for daily services and accompanying the choir, as well as being used for concerts and recitals.There are now five pipe organs of different sizes and styles at Chichester Cathedral, with pipes of the Main Organ dating to the Restoration
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
, the Hurd Organ to the late 18th century and the three most recent organs, the Nave Organ, the Walker Organ, which is a small portable organ in the Baroque style, and the Allen Organ, an early example of a digital electronic organ, dating to the late 20th century.
The earliest recorded organist of Chichester Cathedral is William Campion in 1543. The role of "Cathedral Organist" is combined with that of "Master of Choristers". Since the 1870s there has been an official appointment of an "Assistant Organist".
Several well-known composers have served as cathedral organist, including Thomas Weelkes during the early 17th century, and Edward Thorne who in the 1860s composed his anthem "I was Glad" for the reopening of the Chichester Cathedral after the restoration of the spire.
Chichester Cathedral Choir
Prebendal School
The Prebendal School is a private preparatory school in Chichester, situated opposite Chichester Cathedral. It is a boarding and day school with roughly 150 pupils including the choristers of the cathedral choir. Most students go on to English public schools such as Winchester, Westminster, Eton,...
, and six lay vicars who are professional musicians. The organist and master of choristers, Sarah Baldock
Sarah Baldock
Sarah Baldock is an English organist and choral conductor, at present the Organist and Master of the Choristers of Chichester Cathedral. She is notable as one of two women to be the first appointed to the senior music post at a Church of England cathedral. She is married to counter-tenor David...
, is only the second woman to be appointed to the senior musical post at a cathedral in England.
During school term, the cathedral choir sing for eight services each week. As well as singing, choristers learn the piano and an orchestral instrument, spending at least eighteen hours a week on musical performance.
The choir regularly tours abroad, and in recent years has visited France, Northern Bavaria (Bamberg, Bayreuth, Nurenberg and Wurzburg), and makes frequent visits to Chartres. In spring 2005, the choir made a successful tour to South Africa.
Concerts and other music
There are visiting choirs who come from the diocesan parishesDiocese of Chichester
The Diocese of Chichester is a Church of England diocese based in Chichester, covering Sussex. It was created in 1075 to replace the old Diocese of Selsey, which was based at Selsey Abbey from 681. The cathedral is Chichester Cathedral and the bishop is the Bishop of Chichester...
and elsewhere that sing in the cathedral from time to time. It is common for guest choirs to sing at evensong
Evening Prayer (Anglican)
Evening Prayer is a liturgy in use in the Anglican Communion and celebrated in the late afternoon or evening...
during the week.
The Royal School of Church Music hold some of their events in the cathedral, this includes the Diocesan Choir Festival where all the parish choirs of the diocese sing en masse in a service. To accommodate the large number of choristers, they are split over two succeeding Saturdays. The music for the festival is currently directed by Sarah Baldock.
The cathedral hosts a variety of concerts, that along with those in the evening, includes a popular series of free ones, at lunchtime. It provides a venue for visiting artists from across the world as well as those who are locally based, such as the Chichester Singers, who although an independent organisation, have since their formation in 1954, performed all their major concerts in the cathedral.
The cathedral does not limit the music to just classical, it has hosted a performance by the rock band, Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
, who played at the funeral of their manager, Steve O'Rourke
Steve O'Rourke
Steve O'Rourke was born in Willesden, London, England. He was well known for being manager of the highly influential rock band Pink Floyd after the departure of Syd Barrett in 1968 until his death. He also had to weather the band's falling-out with member Roger Waters.He first managed Pink Floyd...
.
Other performers, from the more popular end of the music spectrum, include Bob Geldof
Bob Geldof
Robert Frederick Zenon "Bob" Geldof, KBE is an Irish singer, songwriter, author, occasional actor and political activist. He rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Irish rock band The Boomtown Rats in the late 1970s and early 1980s alongside the punk rock movement. The band had hits with his...
, Rolf Harris
Rolf Harris
Rolf Harris, CBE, AM is an Australian musician, singer-songwriter, composer, painter and television personality.Born in Perth, Western Australia, Harris was a champion swimmer before studying art. He moved to England in 1952, where he started to appear on television programmes on which he drew the...
and The Hollies
The Hollies
The Hollies are an English pop and rock group, formed in Manchester in the early 1960s, though most of the band members are from throughout East Lancashire. Known for their distinctive vocal harmony style, they became one of the leading British groups of the 1960s and 1970s...
.
Other burials
- Ranulf of WarehamRanulf of WarehamRanulf of Wareham was a medieval Bishop of Chichester.-Life:Ranulf was a monk of Norwich Cathedral before becoming prior of that foundation by 1217. Nothing else is known of his ancestry or origins except that he either came from Wareham, Dorset or Warham, Norfolk...
, Bishop of ChichesterBishop of ChichesterThe Bishop of Chichester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Chichester in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers the Counties of East and West Sussex. The see is in the City of Chichester where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity...
(1217–1222) - his bones may have been found in the cathedral in 1829 - Ralph NevilleRalph NevilleRalph Neville was a medieval clergyman and politician who served as Bishop of Chichester, Keeper of the Great Seal and Lord Chancellor of England...
, Lord ChancellorLord ChancellorThe Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
of England, Bishop of Chichester (1224–1244), and Archbishop of CanterburyArchbishop of CanterburyThe Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
elect (1231–1232) - Richard of ChichesterRichard of ChichesterRichard of Chichester is a saint who was Bishop of Chichester...
, Bishop of Chichester (1244–1253) and SaintSaintA saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth... - Gilbert of St LeonardGilbert of St LeonardGilbert of St Leonard was a medieval Bishop of Chichester.-Life:Gilbert was probably a native of France, deriving his name from the college of St Liphard at Meung-sur-Loire near Orléans...
, Bishop of Chichester (1288–1305) - Robert de StratfordRobert de StratfordRobert de Stratford was an English bishop, and was one of Edward III of England's principal ministers.Stratford served for a time as deputy to his brother, John de Stratford, and in 1337 became chancellor and bishop of Chichester. He was elected bishop about 24 August 1337, and was consecrated...
, Bishop of Chichester (1337–1362) and one of Edward III of EnglandEdward III of EnglandEdward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
's principal ministers - Richard FitzalanRichard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of ArundelRichard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of Arundel and 8th Earl of Surrey was an English nobleman and medieval military leader.- Lineage :...
, Earl of Arundel (1307-1375), and his second wife Eleanor of LancasterEleanor of LancasterEleanor of Lancaster, Countess of Arundel was the fifth daughter of Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster and Maud Chaworth.-First marriage and issue:... - William ReadeWilliam ReadeWilliam Reade was a medieval Bishop of Chichester.Reade was brought up, from boyhood to maturity, by his friend and protege Nicholas of Sandwich. He was then educated at Exeter College, Oxford and elected from it to a fellowship at Merton College, Oxford where astronomy, mathematics and natural...
, Bishop of Chichester (1368–1385) - John Arundel, Bishop of Chichester (1459–1477)
- Edward StoryEdward StoryEdward Story was an English priest, Bishop of Carlisle, 1468–1477, and Bishop of Chichester, 1477–1503....
, Bishop of Chichester (1477–1503) - Robert SherborneRobert SherborneRobert Sherborne was bishop of Chichester, from 1508 to 1536.Sherborne was Dean of St. Paul's, from 1499 to 1505. From 1505 to 1508 he was bishop of St Davids....
, Bishop of Chichester (1508–1536)
Peregrines
The cathedral is a nesting site for Peregrine FalconPeregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
s, which use a crenellated turret at the base of the spire. Three female and one male chicks were hatched in April 2009. During the nesting season live video of the chicks is shown inside the cathedral and on the internet.
See also
- Architecture of the medieval cathedrals of EnglandArchitecture of the medieval cathedrals of EnglandThe medieval cathedrals of England, dating from between approximately 1040 and 1540, are a group of twenty-six buildings which together constitute a major aspect of the country’s artistic heritage and are among the most significant material symbols of Christianity. Though diversified in style, they...
- List of cathedrals in the United Kingdom
- List of Deans of Chichester
External links
- Chichester Cathedral – official website
- Bell's Cathedrals: Chichester (1901) by Hubert C. Corlette - from Project GutenbergProject GutenbergProject Gutenberg is a volunteer effort to digitize and archive cultural works, to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks". Founded in 1971 by Michael S. Hart, it is the oldest digital library. Most of the items in its collection are the full texts of public domain books...