Chichester Overview
Chichester is the only city in West Sussex, it is best known for its cathedral which was built in 1075, it was formally known as the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity and is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Chichester. The cathedral is free to enter but donations are much needed so that they do not start charging for admission. Chichester is home to one of the countries first Corn Exchange, it is still standing today and has had a plethora of different uses from a cinema in the 1910s, a bingo hall in 1977and in the end the back of the Corn Exchange is now offices and the front is a clothing retailer. Chichester has a very large tourist industry due to the collection of marinas with related industries, the city has a high public sector employment rate as well as an increasing number of self-employed people. The city is very popular with students due to its position on the south coast of the country and the closeness to Portsmouth which is a great city with lots of activities.
Things to do in Chichester
The Chichester Festival Theatre is a world-renowned theatre due to its exceptionally high standard of its productions. It boasts a bold thrust stage which makes it one of the countries finest playhouses, with light spacious foyers, quaint bars, lively restaurants a welcoming café, all of these amenities are complimented by the fantastic views of Oaklands park. Just a stone throw from the playhouse is Goodwood House, open to the public during March to October the house is a mixture of a typical English country house with the warmth of a family home, the house also boasts a wonderful display of art. There are three shopping centres in the city centre and each of them offer a wide range of high-street stores and independent boutiques and retailers. There are also markets that run most days, at the markets you will find local produce, unique hand made gifts and everything in between for great prices. There are two main cinemas, one of them is a modern cinema showing the latest blockbusters and Hollywood films, the other cinema is an art house cinema which shows a wide range of arts and culture films dating back several years.
Sport in Chichester
There is one main leisure centre in Chichester, Westgate leisure centre has a swimming pool, gym and a group exercise studio where classes are held almost all day every day. The centre often does special offers in which they offer no joining fee for students so keep an eye out for this when you live here. The university is an institute of sport which means they have a plethora of facilities for you to train and stay fit and healthy.
Escape Chichester
Just outside of the city is Chichester Harbour, this is a large area of natural harbour and wetlands and is a great place for marine birdlife which make it a very tranquil place to visit if you want to escape the stresses of university. Further a long the coast is Portsmouth which is famed for being a university city due to the number of students that study in the city, Portsmouth is a great place to visit to go shopping or to learn about maritime history.
Transport in Chichester
From Chichester you can get direct trains to most cities and towns along the south coast of England, from Portsmouth you can get direct trains into London. National coach services operate from Portsmouth which help people living in Chichester be able to visit the major cities across the UK. The A27 runs through the city and across the south coast of the country, the A3 runs from Chichester to London.
