Chichester Guildhall

Chichester Guildhall
Location:	Priory Park, Chichester, West Sussex, England
Coordinates:	50°50′21″N 0°46′36″W / 50.839213°N 0.776607°W / 50.839213; -0.776607Coordinates: 50°50′21″N 0°46′36″W / 50.839213°N 0.776607°W / 50.839213; -0.776607
Built:	1270–80
Governing body:	Chichester District Council
Scheduled monument
Reference #:	1185123[1]
Location of Chichester Guildhall

Chichester Guildhall is an ecclesiastical building in Chichester, West Sussex, England. The name is a bit of a misnomer, as the building was constructed as a chancel by the Grey Friars of Chichester, an Order of Franciscans. The Grey Friars received the land, now called Priory Park, in a grant from Richard, Earl of Cornwall, in 1269.^[2]

The first record of the Church in Priory Park talks of an ordination held by Archbishop John Peckham, in 1283. This date ties in with the architectural features of the Guildhall. The building is a magnificent example of late 13th century architecture and is one of the few Franciscan churches in England that is still roofed.^[3]

The building is an aisleless structure, 82 feet (25 m) by 31 feet (9.4 m) with a height of 42 feet (13 m). The western wall was a later addition, leading to the belief that some portion on the nave must have at least been begun. This modification to the building was executed so as to allow the chancel arch to remain visible spanning the whole width of the structure. Symmetrical windows separated by buttresses line the northern and southern sides of the building. The windows have simple chamfers on the outside with no further mouldings.^[3]

References

1. ^ "Guildhall". National Monuments Record. English Heritage. http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=1185123. Retrieved 9 March 2011. 
2. ^ The Corporation of Chichester (1967). The City of Chichester: The sole Official Guide. pp. 20–21. 
3. ^ ^{a b} Crake, W.V. (1908). Sussex Archaeological Collection 51.