hichester Cathedral became a Cathedral when the see of the Bishop in the area was moved from Selsey to the city of Chichester in the time of William the Conqueror. The new church built mainly by Bishop Ralph Luffa was consecrated in 1108. The church was damaged by fire in 1114 and again by a more serious one in 1186. After the fire Bishop Seffrid decided that the wooden roof of the church should be replaced by stone vaulting and the repaired building was rededicated in 1199. The eastern end of the church including the apse and radiating chapels was damaged beyond repair and were replaced in The Transitional style of design. Under Bishop Ralph II the central tower was rebuilt but its construction was weak and when it was built upon further in around 1240 and again when a spire was added some subsidence occurred. Carlisle has one of the widest naves in England along with York Minster. The Lady Chapel built by mainly Bishop Gilbert de Santo Leofardo before he became bishop. The cloisters are in the Perpendicular style and lie on the south side on the Cathedral. The central tower collapsed during a violent storm in 1861. It was not long before enough money was raised to fund the reconstruction and the tower was rebuilt by Sir Gilbert Scott.
















