Chichester in Sussex County England History and Geography

CHICHESTER, a city and market town, having separate and exclusive jurisdiction, locally in the hundred of Box and Stockbridge, rape of CHICHESTER, county of SUSSEX, 62 miles (S.W. by S.) from London, containing 7362 inhabitants. This city, which is of very remote antiquity, derives the latter part of its name from its having been a Roman station; and the former, from its subsequent occupation by Cissa, about the close of the fifth century. About the year 47, Flavius Vespasian, who took possession of this portion of Britain, made this his head quarters, and threw up an intrenchment three miles in extent, some traces of which are still apparent. In the reign of Claudius C?sar, the Romans, as it appears from an inscription upon a stone dug up in 1723, erected a temple here, and probably surrounded their station with walls. A curious piece of tesselated pavement was found in the bishop's garden, and the priory exhibits specimens of Roman architecture. About the close of the fifth century the city was taken from the Britons by Ella, whose son Cissa rebuilt it, and called it after his own name, Cissa's ceaster, fortifying it also with a strong intrenchment. It afterwards became the seat of the South Saxon kings, in whose possession it remained till the middle of the seventh century, when Wulfhere, the Mercian, invaded it, and took Athelwald, its king, prisoner. Upon his embracing Christianity, he was reinstated in his dominions, but was afterwards slain in battle by Ceadwalla, a prince of Wessex, who subjugated the kingdom of the South Saxons. On the union of the Saxon kingdoms by Egbert, in the year 803, Chichester was a place of considerable importance: it suffered greatly from the Danes; and, at the time of the Conquest, had declined so much, that it had scarcely a hundred houses within the walls: it, however, regained its former consequence on the transfer of the South Saxon see from Selsea, where it had remained for more than three hundred years; and in the reign of Henry I. a cathedral was built by Bishop Ralph, which being destroyed by fire, that prelate erected a second edifice, far exceeding the former in magnificence, a considerable portion of which is incorporated with the present building. In 1189, the greater part of the city was destroyed by fire, and the cathedral, having sustained great injury, was repaired and enlarged by Siffied, the seventh bishop, whose effigy in marble is placed in a niche within the interior. During the civil war in the reign of Charles I., the citizens made an ineffectual effort for the royal cause; and, using the materials of the churches without the walls to strengthen the fortifications of the town, made a resolute stand against the parliamentarian forces, who, after battering down the north-west tower of the cathedral, compelled them to surrender. In 1648, by Cromwell's orders, the cloisters of the cathedral, the bishop's palace, the deanery, and the canons' houses, were destroyed.

Chichester is pleasantly situated on a gentle eminence nearly surrounded by the Lavant, a small stream which flows at its base. It consists chiefly of four principal streets, meeting nearly at right angles in the centre of the town, where is an octagonal cross in the decorated style of English architecture, which is considered ';in grandeur of design and elegance of execution, superior to every structure of its class in England; they were formerly terminated by four gates in the ancient embattled walls with which the city was surrounded; the last of these gates was taken down in 1773, and of the walls, some portions are remaining on the north and east sides, where spacious terraces were raised in 1725, covered with gravel, and shaded with rows of lofty elms, which have been lately widened and much improved, affording a pleasant promenade for the inhabitants, and highly ornamental to the city. The houses are, in general, handsome and well built; the streets are paved, and lighted with gas, under an act of parliament obtained in 1791, for the general improvement of the town, which is also amply supplied with water. The theatre, a neat plain edifice, was rebuilt in the year 1791: the assembly-rooms, in which assemblies are held every fortnight during the winter, and concerts also at similar intervals, were built by subscription in 1781. A public subscription library, situated in the church-yard, was established in 1794. There are several book clubs; and a mechanics' institution was formed in 1824. Races are held in August, at Goodwood, about five miles north of the city. The trade consists principally in malt, corn (of which a considerable quantity is sent coastwise), flour, timber, and coal. The Lavant empties itself into the sea at Dell-key, two miles distant from the town, where there is a small harbour, into which vessels can enter at high water; and a collector of customs is stationed to superintend the transactions of the port, which carries on a small foreign trade. Lobsters and prawns, caught at Selsea, about seven miles south of the town, and esteemed the finest on the coast, are sent in great quantities to the London market. A large quantity of salt is made at Itchenor, three miles from Chichester. A branch from the Portsmouth and Arundel canal, on the south side of the town, contributes greatly to facilitate and promote its trade. The market days are Wednesday and Saturday; and on every alternate Wednesday there is a large market for cattle, sheep, and hogs: the market-house, a convenient structure, was built in 1807: the corn market is held adjoining the Swan Inn, on Saturday, and also on the days of the cattle market. Fairs are held annually on St. George's day, Whit-Monday, St. James' day, Old Michaelmas-day, and on the 20th of October, the last being called the Sloe fair.

It is uncertain when the inhabitants were first incorporated: by charter granted in the 1st of James II. the government of the city is vested in a mayor, high steward, recorder, deputy recorder, bailiff, and an indefinite number of aldermen and common council-men, assisted by a town clerk, four scrgeants at mace, and subordinate officers. The mayor is chosen annually from among the body of aldermen, or from those who have served the office of bailiff, by a majority of the corporation, and sworn into office on the Monday before Michaelmas-day. The bailiff, who acts as sheriff, is chosen from the common councilmen at the same time: the body of aldermen must have served the office of mayor; and the common council must have been nominated to the offices of portreeve and customer, by the mayor, who, from time immemorial, has appointed two burgesses annually to those nominal offices, by which appointment, or by gift, the freedom of the city alone is obtained. The mayor, the late mayor, recorder, deputy recorder, and three of the senior aldermen chosen annually for that purpose, are justices of the peace, exercising exclusive jurisdiction for the city and its liberties, except the close, which, though within the walls, is under the jurisdiction of the county magistrates. The corporation hold quarter sessions for the city and liberties, with power extending to capital offences, which was exercised in 1818, by executing a man for murder: but prisoners charged with capital offences have since been transferred to the judge on the circuit. A court of record is held every Monday, under the charter of king James for the recovery of debts to any amount, at which the mayor presides. The guildhall is ancient, having been the chapel of a convent of Grey friars. The councilchamber, built by subscription in 1730, is handsome, having arcades formed by pillars of the Tuscan order. The common gaol was built in 1783; it contains only six apartments, five for males and one for females. The elective franchise was conferred in the 23d of Edward I., since which time the city has returned two members to parliament: the right of election is vested in the corporation, in the freemen at large, and in the inhabitants paying scot and lot, about six hundred in number, with the exception only of those of the extra-parochial district of Newtown, which is within the walls: the mayor is the returning officer. The preponderating influence is possessed by the Duke of Richmond and the Earl of Egremont.

Chichester is the seat of a diocese, the jurisdiction of which extends over the county of Sussex. The episcopal chair was first fixed at Selsey, in 681, and transferred to this place in 1070, when Stigand, chaplain to William the Conqueror, was appointed the first bishop of Chichester. The establishment consists of a bishop, dean, thirty-one prebendaries, of which four are residentiary, a procurator, chancellor, and treasurer. The cathedral, dedicated to St. Peter, was erected by Bishop Ralph, in the reign of Henry I., and subsequently repaired and enlarged by succeeding bishops: it is a spacious structure, exhibiting various specimens of the Norman, and of the early and decorated styles of English architecture, with a fine tower rising from the centre, surmounted by an octagonal spire, three hundred feet high, and having two fine towers on the west, of which the upper part of one was destroyed during the parliamentary war; and, on the north, a fine bell tower and lantern, connected by flying buttresses, with octagonal turrets springing from the angles. The interior, which is four hundred and ten feet in length, and two hundred and twenty-seven in breadth along the transepts, is principally in the carly English style; the lady's chapel is of a later date: at the east end is a fine circular window; and the south transept, which contains a remarkably fine monument to the memory of Bishop Langton, has an elegant window of seven lights, in the decorated style. The cloisters, occupying three sides of an irregular quadrangle, are in the later style. The bishop's palace, which was repaired in 1725, contains an elegant chapel, built in the thirteenth century. The deanery, built by Dean Sherlock, is a handsome edifice.

Chichester comprises the parishes of All Saints, or the Pallant, St. Andrew, St. Martin, St. Olave, St. Pancras (partly within and partly without the walls), St. Peter the Great, or the Sub-deanery, St. Peter the Less, St. Bartholomew without, and the precinct of the Cathedral Close; all which were, by act of parliament, in 1753, united for the better maintenance of the poor, under the inspection of perpetual guardians, consisting of the mayor, high steward, recorder, and thirty of the principal inhabitants. The livings, with the exception of that of All Saints, are all in the peculiar jurisdiction, and, with the exception of those of All Saints', St. Pancras, and St. Peter's the Less, in the patronage, of the Dean of Chichester. The living of All Saints' is a discharged rectory, rated in the king's books at £5. 17. 6., endowed with £400 royal bounty, and in the peculiar jurisdiction and patronage of the Archbishop of Canterbury. The living of St. Andrew's is a discharged rectory, rated in the king's books at £2. 13. 4., endowed with £800 royal bounty, and £1200 parliamentary grant: the church is a neat edifice in the later style of English architecture. The living of St. Martin's is a discharged rectory, rated in the king's books at £1. 6. 8., endowed with £800 royal bounty, and £200 parliamentary grant: the church, which was rebuilt by Mrs. Dear, of this city, is a handsome structure in the decorated style of English architecture; the interior is richly ornamented, and contains a fine monument lately erceted to the memory of its foundress. The living of St. Olave's is a discharged rectory, rated in the king's books at £4. 18. 9., endowed with £200 private benefaction, and £600 royal bounty. The living of St. Pancras' is a discharged rectory, rated in the king's books at £8. 10. 8., endowed with £200 private benefaction, £200 royal bounty, and £1200 parliamentary grant. The Rev. GÆ Bliss was patron in 1827. The church, which was destroyed during the parliamentary war, and rebuilt by subscription in 1750, is a neat edifice in the early style of English architecture. The living of St. Peter's the Great is a discharged vicarage, rated in the king's books at £16. 8. 4., endowed with £12 per annum private benefaction, £200 royal bounty, and £200 parliamentary grant: the church is formed by the north transept of the cathedral. The living of St. Peter's the Less is a discharged rectory, rated in the king's books at £1. 6. 8., endowed with £400 royal bounty, and in the patronage of the Crown. The living of St. Bartholomew's without is a rectory not in charge, endowed with £600 royal bounty: the church, which was demolished during the parliamentary war, is now being rebuilt. There are places of worship for the Society of Friends, Huntingtonians, Independents, Wesleyan Methodists, and Unitarians.

The prebendal or free grammar school was founded in 1497, by Bishop Storey, and endowed with the prebend of Highley, which is annexed to the mastership, and tithes and land in other parts of Sussex, for the benefit of all children within the diocese; the management is vested in the bishop, who confirms the appointment of a master nominated by the Dean and Chapter: it was formerly free for all boys within the diocese, but in 1828 certain regulations were formed restricting that privilege to ten boys; but for several years the number on the foundation has been, and is still, very inconsiderable: the master is allowed to receive boarders. Archbishop Juxon; the learned Seldon; Collins, the poet; and the late Dr. Hurdis, Professor of Poetry in the University of Oxford; received the rudiments of their education in this school. A free school, for affording nautical education to twelve boys, viz. four from Chichester, and four from each of the villages of West Wettering and Harting, was founded in 1702 by Oliver Whitby, Esq., who endowed it with lands now producing £1227. 14. 6. per annum: the number of scholars has been augmented to twenty-five. Charity schools, for clothing and instructing twenty-two boys and twenty girls, are supported by subscription; the girls' school has accumulated a permanent annual income of £40. A school for the instruction of thirty boys, founded by one of the deans, was reestablished by Queen Elizabeth, but the building is now occupied by two poor men and six women. There are also National and Lancasterian schools, for boys and girls. St. Mary's Hospital, founded by one of the deans, in the reign of Henry II., for the maintenance of eight aged persons, (two men and six women), was an ancient nunnery; the building consists of a refectory, on each side of which are rooms for the inmates, and, at the cast end, a spacious chapel, in which the service is performed twice every day: it is under the superintendence of the Dean and Chapter. The dispensary, established in 1784, and an infirmary, in 1827, about a mile north of the city, are supported by voluntary contributions. Mr. John Hardham, of London, tobacconist, bequeathed property producing £700 per annum, to be applied to the diminution of the poorrates. An ancient hospital for lepers was founded in the reign of Richard I.; and to the south-east of the city was a house of Black friars, founded by Eleanor, Queen of Edward I., and dedicated to St. Mary and St. Vincent. At St. Roche's hill, where was formerly a chapel dedicated to that saint, may be traced the remains of a circular Danish encampment. At Gowshill, about half a mile farther, is an oblong camp; and on the same side, but nearer to the town, another of similar form, but larger, surrounded by a strong rampart and a single moat; they are both supposed to be Roman, and probably to have been occupied by Vespasian on his landing on this coast. Bradwardine and Juxon, archbishops of Canterbury; Lawrence Somercote, a great canonist and writer; and the poets Collins and Hayley, to whose memory a handsome tablet, by Flaxman, has been placed in the cathedral, by subscription among the citizens; were natives of this city. Chichester confers the title of carl on the family of Pelham.

From Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of England 1831, courtesy of Databases 4 Sale