Bishop's Palace Gardens

About

Whether you live, work or are visiting Chichester, you may want to discover a hidden treasure located in the centre of the City. Bishop's Palace Gardens is situated within the City Walls, next to the Cathedral.

It has now been developed by the council to offer a peaceful retreat for all to enjoy.

New planting, improved access, and the creation of a wildlife friendly area are all included within the project. Water features, new seating and a pergola walk have also been introduced. Over the past three years the Friends of Bishop's Palace Garden have worked closely with the council to develop the project.

Councillor Nick Thomas, Portfolio Holder for Sport and Culture at Chichester District Council, says,
"The main changes include upgrading the borders, water features, footpaths, seating and signage and providing a new pergola walk. This is in addition to improving access around the garden and onto the City Walls. The new planting will add colour to the garden and improve the biodiversity value by creating a wildlife friendly garden in an area previously closed to the public.

"It is hoped that these changes will make the green space more accessible to residents and visitors to the City. We also hope that local schools will use the wildlife garden and native planting areas as an educational resource."

The garden has many great assets, including rare and champion specimen trees, a fantastic location and a peaceful ambiance that is retained in the new layout. The final phase of the project involved planting thousands of new shrubs, trees, roses, climbers and herbaceous plants throughout the garden.

Due to the historical value of the area, archaeologists were brought in to oversee the works carried out. The history of the gardens and the area around them can be found on new boards located in the garden.

About the gardens

" They are open from 8am until dusk.
" The Bishop's Palace lies north of the eastern end of the garden and can be viewed through the gateway.
" The gardens provide access to the City Walls.
" The gardens date back to 1147-48 when the cathedral was moved from Selsey to Chichester.