Bishop’s Palace Gardens

The Bishop's Palace Gardens lie in the heart of Chichester, tucked behind the cathedral and the Bishop's Palace itself. The walled gardens have served the bishops of Chichester since the medieval period and today form one of the most peaceful green spaces in the city, freely open to the public.

Visitors enter through an archway off Canon Lane to find sweeping lawns, mature trees, formal beds and a long herbaceous border running beside the surviving stretch of the city's Roman and medieval walls. A raised walk along the wall provides views back across the gardens to the cathedral spire, which rises above the rooftops as the only medieval English cathedral spire visible from the sea.

The gardens are a popular spot for a picnic between visits to Chichester Cathedral, Pallant House Gallery and the Georgian streets of the Pallants. Benches dotted around the lawns make it an easy place to pause, and the gates at either end link the cathedral close with the southern part of the old city.