The city has two main watercourses: theChichester Canal and theRiver Lavant. The Lavant, awinterbourne, runs to the south of the city walls; it is hidden mostly inculverts when close to the city centre.
There is no recorded evidence that Chichester was a settlement of any size before the coming of theRomans.[6] The area around Chichester is believed to have played a significant part during theRoman invasion of AD 43, as confirmed by evidence of military storage structures in the area of the nearbyFishbourne Roman Palace.[7] The city centre stands on the foundations of theRomano-British city ofNoviomagus Reginorum, capital of theCivitas Reginorum.[8][9]
TheRoman road ofStane Street, connecting the city with London, started at the east gate, while theChichester 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 centralmarket cross dating from medieval times.
Chichester's city walls, originating fromRoman times, were the subject of a comprehensive study by the City Council in 2019, in which were discussed possibilities for enhancing the walls' preservation, accessibility and interest as a tourist attraction.[10]
The city was also home to Roman baths. A museum preserving the baths,the Novium, was opened on 8 July 2012.[11]
Anamphitheatre 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.[12]
Penny, minted in Chichester underCnut the Great between 1024 and 1030. Moneyer: Leofwine.
The legendary foundation ofAnglo-Saxon Chichester is described in theAnglo-Saxon Chronicle, where it says that the area was annexed towards the close of the fifth century byÆlle of Sussex and his three sons. The city was supposedly renamed after his son,Cissa. It also says that it was the principal city of theKingdom of Sussex. However, the foundation story is regarded as a myth by historians as no archaeological evidence has been found to suggest that Chichester was reoccupied until the 9th century.[13][14]
In the 9th centuryAlfred the Great set about building a system of fortified towns or forts, known asburhs, in response to the Viking threat. This included old Roman settlements where the walls could be rebuilt and strengthened. Chichester was one of these and was rebuilt probably between 878 and 879. TheBurghal Hidage is anAnglo-Saxon document that provides a list of over thirty burhs, mainly in the ancient Kingdom ofWessex, and the taxes (recorded as numbers ofhides) assigned for their maintenance. For each five hides the town was expected to provide one fully armed soldier in the king's service, and one man from every hide was to be liable to do garrison duty for the burhs and to help in their initial construction and upkeep. Chichester was one of the larger burhs and was rated at 1500 hides.[15][16]
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 toLondon.[17][18]
When theDomesday Book of 1086 was compiled,Cicestre[20] in the Hundred of Stockbridge (comprising 102 households across the five areas outside the city)[21] 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 localslaves andvilleins. After theBattle of Hastings the township of Chichester was handed toRoger de Mongomerie, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury, for courageous efforts in the battle, but it was forfeited in 1104 by the 3rd Earl. Shortly after 1066Chichester Castle was built by Roger de Mongomerie to consolidate Norman power.[22] In around 1143 the titleEarl 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 withReigate Castle, wascaptured by the French, but regained the following year, when the castle was ordered to be destroyed by the king.[23] Between 1250 and 1262, theRape of Chichester was created from the western half of Arundel rape, with the castle as its administrative centre.[24]
A military presence was established in the city in 1795 with the construction of a depot on land where theHawkhurst Gang had been hanged. It was named theRoussillon Barracks in 1958.[27]
The military presence had mostly ceased by 2014 and the site was being developed for housing.[28] with the former Guardroom known as The Keep playing host to a detachment of theArmy Cadet Force.[29]
At the beginning of the 19th-century, Chichester'slivestock market was recorded as the second largest in the country.[30]
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.[36][37]
Historically, Chichester was a city andliberty,[6] thereby largely self-governing. Although it has retained its city status, in 1888 it became amunicipal borough, transferring some powers to West Sussex administrative county. In 1974 the municipal borough became part of the much largerChichester District. The City Council[38] was retained but it only has the powers of aparish council; control of services is largely in the hands ofChichester District Council andWest Sussex County Council.
The City Council meets in theCouncil House on North Street, which dates from 1731.[39] Prior to this the City Council, and its predecessor the City Corporation, had met inChichester Guildhall. In addition to its own council offices, those of the Chichester District and the West Sussex County Council are located in the city.
The City Council consists of eighteen elected members serving five wards of the city – North, South, East, West, and Central.[40] Elections to the City Council last took place on Thursday 5 May 2023.[41] The current makeup of the City Council is shown below – those marked * are also Chichester District Councillors.
Granted 14 August 1570, to the former Borough. The chief is shown indented in an earlier Visitation record.[45]
Escutcheon
Argent Guttée-de-Sang (drops of blood) on a Chief Gules a Lion passant guardant Or.
The meaning and origin of the arms, granted on 14 August 1570, are not known (though the chief bears a typicalroyal English lion). There is no officialmottoper se, but the widerChichester District has one inLatin (ADHUC HIC HESTERNA, "The things of yesterday are still with us").[46]
The City of Chichester is located on theRiver Lavant south of its gap through theSouth Downs. Thiswinterbourne for part of its course now runs through the city in underground culverts.[55] 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.[56]
The Chichesterconservation area, designated for its architectural and historic interest,[57] encompasses the whole of the Roman town, and includes many Grade I and IIlisted buildings. Further to the north lies the separate conservation area around the formerGraylingwell Hospital, and to the south, the Chichester Conservation Area has been extended recently to include the newly restored canal basin and part ofChichester Canal itself. The Conservation Area has been split into eight 'character' areas, based on historic development, building type, uses and activities.
Chichester has amaritime 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.[58]
The2011 census recorded a population of 26,795 for the city of Chichester, forming 12,316 households.[59] The2021 census recorded an increase in population to 29,407, forming 13,263 households. There is a small imbalance in thesex ratio, with 15,701, female residents (53.3%) and 13,706 male residents (46.7%). 26,622 residents (91%) listed their ethnic group as white.[2]
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.[60]
The city has a tourist industry.[61] 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.[62]
The city holds an annual four-week arts and music festival ("Festival of Chichester") held in June and July.[63]
Chichester Cathedral has a year-round programme of music, talks and other events, including free lunchtime concerts of classical music.
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.[64]
Pallant House Gallery, winner of the 2007 gallery of the yearGulbenkian Prize, has a major collection of chiefly modern British art and in 2006 opened a new extension that houses the collection of SirColin St John Wilson. It has a changing programme of exhibitions.[65]
TheSloe Fair, afunfair that dates back to the 12th Century, is held annually on 20 October in the city's Northgate car park.[66]
Chichester Cinema at New Park[67] 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 areMaggie Smith andKenneth Branagh. There is a larger, multiplex cinema located at Chichester Gate. Chichester's previous cinemas were the Olympia Electric on Northgate (1911–1922), thePlaza Cinema 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).[68]
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 byDon Paterson in 2010, Sam Willetts in 2011, andDavid Harsent in 2012.[69]
In 2012The Novium, Chichester's museum, was opened by authorKate Mosse.[70] Designed by the architectKeith 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 theChichester Street Art Festival week where international street artists created colourful murals around the city.[71]
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.[60]
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.[74] The Chichester Singers, under musical director Jonathan Willcocks, perform classical and contemporary works in concert.[75][76]
TheChichester 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.[77] Founded in 1980 by members of Chichester Hockey Club as a fund-raising event, the festival's early years focused ontraditional jazz and featured performers such asKenny Ball,Humphrey Lyttelton andKenny Baker. In the 1990s blues and R&B were introduced and acts includingStatus Quo,Blondie,Boney M,Howard Jones,Go West,The Pretenders andSimple Minds played the festival up until its final staging, in 2011.[citation needed]
The City of Chichester has beentwinned withChartres, France, since February 1959 andRavenna, Italy, since December 1996[78][79] andSpeyer, Germany, since 2023.[80] Friendship links have also been established withMarktredwitz in Germany,Kursk in Russia andValletta in Malta.[79]
Local news and television programmes are provided byBBC South andITV Meridian. Television signals are received from theRowridge TV transmitter.[81]
Chichester's local radio stations areBBC Radio Sussex on 104.8 FM,Heart South on 96.7 FM,Greatest Hits Radio West Sussex on 96.6 FM and community based radio stations V2 Radio which broadcast online and Chichester Hospital Radio that broadcast on 1431 AM from the St Richard's Hospital in the town.[82][83]
Chichester Cross, which is a type ofbuttercross familiar in old market towns, was built in 1501 as a covered marketplace,[85] and stands at the intersection of the four main roads in the centre of the city.
Chichester Cathedral, formally known as the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Chichester. It is a Grade I listed building from 1075.
The Butter Market in North Street was designed byJohn Nash, and was opened in 1808 as a food and produce market.[86]
TheCorn Exchange on East Street was built in 1833, one of the first in the country.[87] From the 1880s it was used for drama and entertainment and became a cinema from the 1910s.[88] An attempt to convert it to a bingo hall was refused in 1977.[89] As it could not be converted to amultiplex it was closed on 9 August 1980.[89] It remained closed and unused for six years until the front was opened as a fast food restaurant and the rear converted for offices.[89][90] From 2005 the front has been used by a clothing retailer.[91]
In 1921,Sir William Robertson unveiled a war memorial in Eastgate Square for soldiers who died inWorld War I. The memorial was relocated toLitten Gardens in 1940. The city council subsequently added the names of soldiers who died in World War II.[92]
Chichester is the hub of several main roads. The most important of these is theA27 coastal trunk road, which connectsEastbourne withSouthampton; it passes to the south of the city. The A27 connects Chichester to theM3,M27 andM275 motorways. The secondary coastal road, theA259, which begins its journey atFolkestone in Kent, joins the A27 here and ends inHavant to the west. Both of those roads make east–west connections.
Three roads give Chichester access to the north: theA29 to London joins the A27 several miles to the east of the city; theA285 runs north-east toPetworth and beyond; and theA286 runs northwards towardsHaslemere, Surrey.[93]
Chichester bus station, which is adjacent to the railway station, is the local hub for bus services. Operators includeStagecoach in the South Downs and Compass Travel.[94][95]
There are severallong-distance routes for walkers, cyclists and riders in the area; some of these routes, like theCenturion Way toWest Dean, 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.[citation needed]
There are three secondary schools in Chichester:Chichester Free School (which also has a primary sector in Bognor Regis),Bishop Luffa School andChichester High School formed after theChichester High School for Boys and Chichester High School for Girls merged in 2016.[97] In the primary sector there are two infant-only schools: Lancastrian and Rumboldswyke; the Central C of E Junior School; six all-level schools;[98] and two special-needs schools at Fordwater and St Anthony's.[citation needed]
The higher and further educational institutions include the Chichester High School Sixth Form. It offers a range of A-Level and vocational courses. Bishop Luffa School sixth form also offers a range of A-Level courses andChichester College, formerly Chichester College of Arts, Science and Technology; offers both foundation-level and degree-equivalent courses, mainly focused towards vocational qualifications for industry.[citation needed]
Chichester Cathedral, founded in the 11th century, is dedicated to the HolyTrinity, and contains a shrine to SaintRichard 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 aRomanmosaicpavement. The cathedral is unusual in Britain in having a separatebell tower a few metres away from the main building, rather than integrated into it. Within the cathedral there is the medieval tomb of Richard FitzAlan, Earl of Arundel and his wife Eleanor Plantagenet, the inspiration of the poem "An Arundel Tomb", byPhilip Larkin. A memorial statue exists ofWilliam Huskisson, once member of parliament for the city, but best remembered as the first man to be run over by a railway engine.[101]Leonard Bernstein'sChichester Psalms were commissioned for the cathedral.
St Mary's Hospital Almshouses are a 13th-century religious foundation located at St Martin's Square, providing housing and care for elderly people from the Chichester diocese.[105]
Tim Peake, who became the first official British astronaut when he arrived on theInternational Space Station in December 2015, was born in Chichester in 1972. Peake attended the Chichester High School for Boys,[124][125] which now has a Sports and Conference centre named after him and opened by him.[citation needed]Edward Bradford Titchener, born in Chichester, created the school of thought in psychology that described the structure of the mind:structuralism.[126]
Tom Odell, who was born in Chichester, is a singer and songwriter who gained success with his album,Wrong Crowd.[127]Anohni Hegarty was born in Chichester and lived there for the first 10 years of her life.[128]
^Powicke, Michael (1962).Military Obligation in Medieval England. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 18–21.
^Hill, David; Rumble, Alexander R., eds. (1996).The Defence of Wessex: The Burghal Hidage and Anglo-Saxon Fortifications. Manchester: Manchester University Press. p. 5.ISBN0-719-03218-0.
^Gower, Graham, London Archaeologist Winter 2002, pp 59–63
^Lapidge, Michael Ed.; John Blair; Simon Keynes; Donald Scragg (2001).The Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Anglo-Saxon England. London: Blackwell. p. 76.ISBN0-631-22492-0.
^Kelly, S.E. (1994). Hobbs, Mary (ed.).Chichester Cathedral: An Historic Survey. Chichester: Phillimore. pp. 1–10.ISBN0-85033-924-3.
^Hewitt, Phil (2004). "The Second World War comes to Chichester".Chichester Remembered. Chichester, West Sussex:Phillimore. pp. 29–41.ISBN978-1-86077-229-0.
^Hewitt, Phil (2013). "The Horrors of War: 1939-1945".A Chichester Miscellany. Summersdale. pp. 134–171.ISBN978-1-84953-379-9.
^They are the Jessie Younghusband Primary School; Kingsham Primary School; Parklands Community School; Chichester Free School, Portfield Community Primary and Singleton C of E Primary School
^The establishment was initially calledBishop Otter College, although throughout its history it has had many names:West Sussex Institute of Higher Education, thenChichester Institute of Higher Education, thenUniversity College Chichester
^Beevers, David; Marks, Richard; Roles, John (1989).Sussex Churches and Chapels. Brighton: The Royal Pavilion, Art Gallery and Museums. p. 58.ISBN978-0-948723-11-7.
^"History".St Mary's Almshouses. Retrieved9 April 2023.
^Hardy, Kimber G. (2016).The Hardy Family of Artists: Frederick Daniel, George, Heywood, James and their descendants. Woodbridge, Suffolk: ACC Art Books. pp. 68–155.ISBN978-1-85149-826-0.
^Proctor, Robert W; Evans, Rand (Winter 2014). "E. B. Titchener, Women Psychologists and the Experimentalists".American Journal of Psychology.127 (4):501–526.doi:10.5406/amerjpsyc.127.4.0501.PMID25603585.
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