As we celebrate our 950th anniversary year, there has never been a better time to step behind the scenes and uncover some of Chichester Cathedral’s most extraordinary - and rarely seen - spaces. Beyond the Nave, the Cloisters and the magnificence of The Lady Chapel lies a quieter world of secret rooms, timeworn towers and stories waiting to be discovered.
The Song School
Above the South Transept lies a space very few ever enter - the Song School, where the Cathedral’s choristers rehearse music that has filled these walls for centuries. Within this atmospheric 15th-century room is a chamber, home to thousands of music manuscripts, and rich in echoes of visiting choirs from around the world.
In 1965, composer Leonard Bernstein visited the Cathedral in person following the UK premiere of his Chichester Psalms, stepping into the Song School to congratulate the choristers and ask them what it was like to perform his music.
Find out more about our Secret Spaces tours here.
The Library
Chichester Cathedral’s Library is one of the city’s quietest treasures and access is rare. Usually, only open on the first Tuesday of the month, this intimate upper room contains around 10,000 volumes and some extraordinary literary gems, from pre-Reformation manuscripts to an edition of The Compleat Housewife, which was first published in 1727 and is currently on display in our anniversary exhibition Religion, Rebellion & Reformation.
Though damaged during the Civil War, the Library was relocated and restored in 1969 and continues to evolve, with recent acquisitions such as prints by Marc Chagall. A narrow spiral staircase leads visitors into a space adorned with stained glass and sculpted stone corbels - a peaceful world of ink, vellum and reflection.
Find out more about Library Open Days and visiting here.
The Bell Tower
Standing apart from the main Cathedral and angled slightly to the west, Chichester’s Bell Tower is the only surviving freestanding medieval bell tower of any English cathedral. Built around 1400 and Grade I listed, it houses eight bells - the oldest cast in 1587 - along with a historic clock and a fixed hour bell.
Its worn walls are etched with graffiti, including names carved over a century ago, which were recently featured on BBC Sounds’ Secret Sussex. Visitors can sometimes climb the spiral stairs to the ringing chamber and glimpse the Cathedral’s bell-ringing tradition up close. But this iconic tower is also at risk, listed by Historic England due to essential repair needs.
Our Bell Tower Open Days have sold out for 2025 but sign up for our e-newsletter to be the first to know about new dates.
The Spire
Take part in the newly launched guided Spire Visits, climbing up through the roof spaces to discover the secret skeleton of the Cathedral: hidden wooden frameworks, narrow passageways, and a breath-taking view into the Lantern, where light filters in from high above the Nave.
Unseen by the public until recently, glimpse into the very bones of the building and enjoy the most spectacular views of Chichester and beyond.
Book your Spire Visit here.
The Bishop’s Kitchen
Tucked within the Cathedral Quarter lies the Bishop’s Palace, a Grade I listed building with a rich and complex history. While the exact date of its origin is uncertain - due in part to extensive repairs over the centuries - it is known that the Palace was rebuilt by Bishop Seffrid II following the devastating fire of 1187 that swept through the Cathedral.
One of the Palace’s most historically significant spaces is the Great Kitchen, which retains some of the earliest surviving walls and features of the property. Originally, the Great Kitchen served both the residents and guests of the Bishop’s Palace, alongside a Great Hall that remained in use until its destruction during the English Civil War.
After years of neglect, the Palace was partially repaired during the Restoration period and later underwent substantial restoration under Bishop Edward Waddington (1724–1731).
In more recent history, the Great Kitchen was repurposed by the Theological College for lectures after the Second World War. Today, it serves as a unique venue for events and exhibitions.
Visitors can glimpse the front of the Palace by passing under the arch at the end of Canon Lane, on the way to the tranquil Bishop’s Palace Gardens and the Kitchen can be seen in our Secret Spaces Tour for groups.
Your invitation to explore
These spaces are not just hidden, they hum with history, music, literature, craftsmanship and faith. In this landmark year, marking 950 years since the Cathedral was founded in Chichester, this is the perfect time to explore behind the scenes.
Many of these tours are available only a few times each year. Don’t miss your chance to see the Cathedral as few have seen it before.