The Lady Chapel is one of the most tranquil areas within the Cathedral. It is set aside for prayer, and so is often sought out by visitors and worshippers who want to spend a little time in quietness and reflection.
The bronze sculpture 'Virgin and Child' is by the Sussex sculptor John Skelton (1923 - 1999), who also designed the Cathedral’s font in the Baptistry. Find out more here.
The Shrine of St Richard, our own Saint and a Bishop here in the 13th century, was one of the most important for pilgrims to visit during the medieval period. Today, thousands of people still come each year to pray at the Shrine.
The large tapestry is by the German artist Ursula Benker-Schirmer and co-created with students from West Dean College, near Chichester. This vibrant tapestry contains symbols, biblical in origin, relating to the life of St Richard.
Installed in the St Mary Magdalene Chapel, Graham Sutherland’s painting Noli me Tangere (Do not hold me) was painted in 1961 and is a powerful depiction of Jesus’ return to life after the crucifixion. Find out more here.
The South Transept is dominated by a huge window; the glass dates from 1877 and depicts scenes from both the Old and New Testament.
Originally built in the fifteenth century as a way to separate the Nave from the Quire, the Arundel Screen was removed by the Victorians in 1859 in order to open up the space. This revealed cracks in the masonry leading to the subsequent fall of the spire in 1861. After being held in storage for one hundred years, the Screen was reinstated to its original location in 1961. Find out more here.
In the South Aisle, the Chapel of St George was restored in 1921 as the memorial chapel of the Royal Sussex Regiment. Recorded on panels around the walls are the names of almost 8000 soldiers from the regiment who tragically fell in World War I. Find out more here.
Situated in the south-west tower, the Baptistry is home to a wonderful copper font used for baptisms. Commissioned by the Dean and Chapter and dedicated in 1983, the font is the work of British sculptor John Skelton. The painting, The Baptism of Christ, is by Hans Feibusch and was painted in 1951. Find out more here.
1800 years after they were first built, the Roman walls of Noviomagus Reginorum remain largely in place. A few gaps in the wall have been created - mostly at traffic points north, east, south and west of the city where old stone gateways have been removed – but the majority of the wall remains available to walk, guided by a tree-lined trail.
The Cathedral is positioned in the south-west corner of the encircling wall but as befits a bustling, busy city, there are points of interest in all four corners.
The Bishop's Palace lies north of the eastern end of the gardens and, although not in the possession of the Dean and Chapter, it does share a significant history with the Cathedral.
Contained within the Palace lies a twelfth century chapel that has remained in use, and mostly unaltered, over the last 800 years.