Bells Cathedrals: Chichester

Bell's Cathedrals: Chichester (1901)

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by Hubert C. Corlette This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net
Title: Bell's Cathedrals: Chichester (1901) A Short History & Description Of Its Fabric With An Account Of The Diocese And See
Author: Hubert C. Corlette
Release Date: August 30, 2004 [EBook #13331]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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[Illustration: CHICHESTER CATHEDRAL FROM THE SOUTH.]

THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF CHICHESTER
A SHORT HISTORY & DESCRIPTION OF ITS FABRIC WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE DIOCESE AND SEE
HUBERT C. CORLETTE
A.R.I.B.A.
WITH XLV ILLUSTRATIONS

LONDON GEORGE BELL & SONS 1901

PREFACE.
All the facts of the following history were supplied to me by many authorities. To a number of these, references are given in the text. But I wish to acknowledge how much I owe to the very careful and original research provided by Professor Willis, in his "Architectural History of the Cathedral"; by Precentor Walcott, in his "Early Statutes" of Chichester; and Dean Stephen, in his "Diocesan History." The footnotes, which refer to the latter work, indicate the pages in the smaller edition. But the volume could never have been completed without the great help given to me on many occassions by Prebendary Bennett. His deep and intimate knowledge of the cathedral structure and its history was always at my disposal. It is to him, as well as to Dr. Codrington and Mr. Gordon P.G. Hills, I am still further indebted for much help in correcting the proofs and for many valuable suggestions.
H.C.C.
C O N T E N T S.
CHAP. PAGE
I. HISTORY OF THE CATHEDRAL............... 3
II. THE EXTERIOR.......................... 51
III. THE INTERIOR.......................... 81
IV. THE DIOCESE AND SEE: OTHER BUILDINGS IN THE CITY ... 101
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
Chichester Cathedral from the South.... Frontispiece Arms of the See........................ Title Longitudinal Section, about 1815........................ 2 Chichester Cathedral from the East...................... 3 The West Front, about 1836.............................. 7 View through the South Triforium of the Nave............ 9 The Clerestory Passage, Nave, South Side............... 11 Historical Section from Willis......................... 13 The Clerestory, North Side of Nave..................... 14 Pier-Capitals in the Retro-Choir....................... 16 Transverse Sections from Willis........................ 18 The Cathedral from the South-East, about 1836.......... 25 The South Transept, about 1836......................... 27 The Bell Tower as seen from West Street................ 31 Decoration formerly on the Choir Vault................. 33 Chichester Cathedral, about 1650....................... 39 The Nave, about 1836................................... 44 The Retro-Choir and Reredos, about 1836................ 45 The Cathedral from the South-West...................... 50 The North-East Angle of the South-West Tower........... 52 Wall Arcade in the West Porch.......................... 54 The South Doorway...................................... 60 The Cloister from the South-East....................... 61 The East walk of the Cloister.......................... 63 The Choir and Central Tower from the South-East........ 67 Windows of the Lady-Chapel, South Side................. 70 The Cathedral from the North-East...................... 74 The Detached Bell-Tower................................ 77 The Nave, looking West................................. 80 The Nave, looking East................................. 82 The South Aisle, from the Nave......................... 84 The Sacristy........................................... 87 The Altar and Reredos.................................. 89 The Triforium in the Choir............................. 91 Decoration on the Vault of the Lady-Chapel............. 92 The Presbytery, or Retro-Choir, looking North-East..... 93 The Lady-Chapel........................................ 95 The North Choir-Aisle.................................. 97 The Library............................................ 98 The Town Cross......................................... 100 Sculptured Panels in the South Choir-Aisle............. 105 Tomb Assigned to Bishop Richard of Wych................ 113 S. Clement's Chapel, and Tomb of Bishop Durnford....... 121 Painted Decoration formerly on the Choir Vault......... 125 PLAN of the Cathedral......................... At End
[Illustration: LONGITUDINAL SECTION ABOUT 1815, SHOWING THE ARUNDEL SCREEN AND THE POSITION OF THE REREDOS. From Dallaway's "West Sussex." (Scale 75 feet to 1 in.)]
[Illustration: CHICHESTER CATHEDRAL FROM THE EAST. _Photochrome Co., Ltd., Photo.]

CHICHESTER CATHEDRAL.

CHAPTER I.
THE HISTORY OF THE CATHEDRAL.
Any attempt to write the history of a cathedral requires that the subject shall be approached with two leading ideas in view. One of these has reference to the history of a Church; the other to the story of a building. The two aspects are clearly to be distinguished, but their mutual relation may be better appreciated when we realise how intimately they are bound together.
Ecclesiastical history, or "ecclesiology," and architectural history, or "archaeology," do not exist apart; for the needs of Christian liturgy indicated what arrangement was required in those buildings that were peculiarly dedicated to the use of the Church; hence we have, in the mere building itself, to consider the condition of ecclesiastical and architectural growth displayed by its character during each stage of its development, and this development, this character, is to be discovered as well in the plan and structure of the fabric, with its decorative details, as in the record that documents and