Chichester Cathedral

Historic Site, Chichester

Chichester Cathedral has stood at the heart of the city for over nine hundred years, consecrated in 1108 after the see was transferred from Selsey. The cathedral is notable for its detached bell tower, the only surviving medieval example in England, and for its twelfth-century Romanesque stone carvings. Twentieth-century additions include a tapestry by John Piper and a stained glass window by Marc Chagall, commissioned in 1978. The Arundel Tomb, with its famous effigies of a medieval earl and countess holding hands, inspired Philip Larkin's poem of the same name. The cathedral functions as the seat of the Bishop of Chichester and holds daily services. Entry is free, with donations welcomed. The cloisters, which are unusual for a secular cathedral, house a shop and cafe.