Chichester Photo Gallery: Cathedral, Gardens & Historic Streets

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This Chichester photo gallery follows my walk through one of West Sussex’s most historic cities — from the busy streets around Chichester Cross to the Cathedral, Bishop’s Palace Garden, old city walls and quieter corners of the centre.

I arrived in the middle of the afternoon, when the pedestrianised streets were still surprisingly busy. A couple of hours later, Chichester felt completely different. Shops were beginning to close, the crowds were disappearing and some of the streets I had photographed earlier suddenly looked remarkably quiet.

The Cathedral was easily the standout for me. Its huge spire kept appearing between buildings as I wandered around the centre, and although I arrived too late to explore inside, there was plenty to photograph around the Cathedral precinct and its historic passageways.

From there, my walk continued through Bishop’s Palace Garden and alongside parts of Chichester’s old city walls before eventually bringing me back towards Chichester Cross. The photographs below follow roughly the same journey, mixing the obvious landmarks with some of the smaller architectural details and unexpected views I noticed along the way.

There were far more photographs from this stop than I could sensibly include in the main article, so this gallery brings together some of my favourite views and details from the afternoon.

→ Read the full guide: Things to Do in Chichester: Cathedral, Gardens & History

Chichester Photo Gallery

Chichester Cross surrounded by pedestrians in Chichester city centre
Chichester Cross at the heart of the city centre, surrounded by the afternoon bustle.
Pedestrianised street in Chichester city centre with shops, cafés, bunting and people
Chichester was still busy when I arrived, with plenty of people around the pedestrianised centre.
Chichester city centre with Chichester Cross and the Cathedral spire visible along the street
One view, two Chichester landmarks — the Cross ahead and the Cathedral spire rising beyond the city streets.
Exterior of Chichester Cathedral with its tall stone spire rising above the historic building
Chichester Cathedral was easily the part of the city that made the biggest impression on me.
Statue of St Richard of Chichester outside Chichester Cathedral
St Richard of Chichester, one of the most important figures in the Cathedral’s history.
Statue of St Richard with Chichester Cathedral and its spire behind
St Richard with the enormous Cathedral behind him — a much better sense of just how much it dominates this part of Chichester.
Stone exterior and Gothic windows of Chichester Cathedral beneath its spire
Even without getting inside, there was plenty of Cathedral architecture to explore from outside.
Chichester Cathedral spire framed through a historic stone opening
One of my favourite glimpses of the Cathedral — its spire framed by the surrounding historic architecture.
Covered stone passage at Chichester Cathedral with Gothic openings and timber roof
The covered passageways around the Cathedral were almost as photogenic as the big exterior views.
Historic Chichester Cathedral cloister with stone memorials, windows and timber roof
Another look along the historic cloisters, with memorials and architectural details lining the walls.
Chichester photo gallery view of the Cathedral from Bishop’s Palace Garden
Chichester Cathedral rising above the greenery of Bishop’s Palace Garden.
Bishop’s Palace Garden in Chichester with lush planting, benches and historic red-brick wall
Bishop’s Palace Garden made for a peaceful green detour beside the Cathedral.
Colourful planting in Bishop’s Palace Garden beside a historic red-brick wall in Chichester
Colourful planting tucked alongside the old brick walls of Bishop’s Palace Garden.
Historic stone and flint section of Chichester city walls beside a grassy path
A surviving stretch of Chichester’s Roman city walls — parts of a circuit that has surrounded the city for around 1,800 years.
Historic flint and red-brick buildings beside a stone arched gateway in Chichester
One of those little corners that makes wandering around old Chichester more interesting.
Historic flint and stone archway viewed along a narrow street in Chichester
Old stonework meeting modern Chichester through one rather photogenic archway.
Quiet pedestrianised street in Chichester city centre with bunting and historic shopfronts
A few hours later, the same city centre felt completely different as the crowds disappeared.
Chichester Cross with its Gothic stone arches and clock in the city centre
Chichester Cross — the elaborate medieval market cross standing right at the heart of the city.
Ribbed stone vaulted ceiling and carved bosses underneath Chichester Cross
It’s worth walking underneath the Cross too — the ribbed stone vaulting is easy to miss from the street.
Clock, crowned figure and ornate Gothic stonework on Chichester Cross
A closer look at the clock, sculpture and intricate stonework decorating Chichester Cross.

A Few More Views of Chichester

Looking back through these photographs, Chichester feels like a city of contrasts. The Cathedral is enormous and impossible to ignore, yet much of the historic centre is compact enough to explore comfortably on foot.

What I particularly like about this Chichester photo gallery is that it also captured how much the atmosphere changed during a relatively short visit. The busy streets I found when I arrived gradually emptied as the afternoon went on, leaving a much quieter city behind.

I wouldn’t describe Chichester as the most dramatic stop I’ve made, but it was a genuinely pleasant place for a few hours of wandering — and arriving earlier next time would give me the chance to actually get inside that Cathedral. 😅

Planning your own Chichester visit? You can find current attractions, events and visitor information on the official Visit Chichester website.

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