Chichester, England 2000

A trip to Sussex in England and the publication of a decade-long historical collaboration, what's not to like? And a perfect small B&B in the Sussex town of Chichester iced the cake for the book launching. I've written about The Petworth Project on my genealogy blog, more than once I think ...

blogspot.com/2017/1/the-petworth-emigration-story.html

blogspot.com/2018/05/egremonts-countess.html

Being in the physical presence of history that stretches into dim distance is always special. Pity that we then took so few photographs of our surroundings. Just too engrossed as tourists, absorbing the feel. The environs have changed even in the almost twenty years since. Our little group likely stayed at a B&B on St Pancras Street (~ collective memory fail ~) now shuttered and silent. Me, now, trying to capture the elusive moments before they disappear altogether.

Formerly the St Pancras B&B

B&B breakfast

Chichester is a quintessential English town, a cathedral town, to boot. It dates to Roman times 1800 years ago when walls and gates were built for defence against hostile raiders. Those city walls still stand. You can walk the entire mile and a half circuit around the old town. I am totally hooked on the fascination of artifacts that connect me to people who lived before. And the walls are one big, impressive artifact.

The Ship Inn was then the grandest place to stay, and has its own history from the late 1700s. Built as a home by Admiral George Murray, a great friend of Lord Nelson, it has of course been renovated more than once; it was repurposed as a hotel just before the Second World War. We enjoyed a lovely collegial dinner there.

And then the cathedral! The Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity. Is there ever enough time to fully explore such a site at leisure? Founded 1108; mother church of Sussex; full of monuments, music, art, stained glass, needlecraft. 

Lady Chapel

the Chagall window

Probably the most visited section is the Arundel tomb. Richard FitzAlan, the 10th Earl of Arundel, and his wife Eleanor died in the late 14th century. Originally buried in Lewes Priory at his request, they were moved to the cathedral probably after the priory's dissolution in 1537. The figures are unusual for the time because the knight is depicted as having removed his glove to clasp his lady's hand. The effigy has inspired countless admirers and a famous poem by Philip Larkin. 

From "An Arundel Tomb" in Larkin's The Whitsun Weddings:

" ... A sculptor's sweet commissioned grace ..."

© 2019 Brenda Dougall Merriman