William Camden, reflecting on his visit to Chichester

1586 William Camden

Chichester in the British tongue named Caercei, in the English Saxon language Cissan-ceaster, lieth father within, at the same nooke in a Champion plaine. A Cittie large enough, and wlled about, built by Cissa a Sacon the second king of thos Province and of him so named. For Cissan-Ceaster is nothing els, but the Cittie of Cissa: whose father Ælla, was the first Saxon that here erected a kingdome. Yet was it before the conquest of small or no name, and knowne onely by a monasterie of Saint Peter and a little Nunnerie. But in the reigne of William the first, as wee read in the Domes-day-booke, there were in this, one hundred Hages, and this Cittie was in the hand of Earle Roger and there are in the said three-score Mansions houses more than had beene before. It paid fifteene pounds to the king, and ten to the Earle. After this, when during the reigne of the said William the first, a decree was enacted, that Bishop's Seas should bee translated out of small townes unto places of greater name and resort., it was graced with the Bishops residence which was before at Selsey, and beganne to flourish: not many yeares after Bishop Raulfe built there a Cathedrall church, which before hee had fully finished it, was sodainly by mishap of a fearce fire burnt downe. Yet by his endeauor and the bounteous liberality of King Henrie the first, it was raised up againe, and now, beside a Bishop, it hath also a Deane, a Chaunter, a Chancellor, a Treasurer, two Archideacons, and thirty Prebendaries. And at the same time the verie Cittie itselfe beganne to flourish, and had growne indeede to a most wealthie estate, but that the haven is badde and somewhat to farre off, and in that regard not so commodious: which neverthelesse the Cittizens goe now in hand to make more convenient by digging of a new chanell. It is walled about in a circular round forme. The Lavant a pretty riveret running hard by it, on the West and South sides. Foure gates it hath opening to the foure quarters of the world: from whence the streets lead directly and crosse themselves in the mids, where the market is kept, and where Bishop Robert Read, erected a faire stone market place, supported with pillars round about. As for the Castle that stood not farre from the North gate, it was in times past the habitation of the Earles of Arundell, who hereupon stiled themselves, Earles of Chichester: but afterwards it became converted into an house of the Franciscan Friers. All that space which lieth between the West and South gates, is taken up with Cathedrall Church, the Bishops palace, and the Deanes and Prebendaries houses. All which about the King Richard the First his time were burnt againe. And Seffride the second Bishop of that name re-edified all anew. The Church itselfe truly is not great, but verie faire and neat, having a spire steeple of stone, rising up passing high, and in the South Crosse-Isle of the Church, of the one side is artificially portraied, and depainted the historie of the Churches foundation, with the Images of the Kings of England: on the other, the Images of all the Bishops, as well of Selsey as of Chichester, at the charges of Robert Shirburne Cishop, as well of Selsey as of Chichester, at the charges of Robert Shirburne Bishop, who greatly adorned and beautified this Church, and everywhere for his Empresse, set these Mots CREDITE OPERIBUS, that is, TRUST MEN ACCORDING TO THEIR DEEDS; and DILEXI DECORUM DOMUS TUAE DOMINE, that is I HAVE LOVED (O LORD) THE BEAUTIE OF THEY HOUSE. Neither hee onely adorned the Lords house, but repaired also the Bishops houses. But that great high tower which standeth nere unto the west dore of the Church, was built by R. Riman, as the report goeth (when he was forbidden to erect a castle at Aplederham his habitation hard by) of those stones, which for that Castle he had providede afore. Neere the haven of Chichester is W. Witering, where as the monuments of the Church testifie Ælla, the first founder of the Kingdome of Suth-sex arrived.