the capital city of the county of Sussex, was built by Cissa, the 2d king of the South Saxons, and by him called Cissan Castrum. It is surrounded with a wall, which has four gates, answering to the four cardinal points; from which run two streets, that cross one another in the middle and form a square, where the market is kept, and where there is a fine stone piazza built by bishop Read. The space between the west and south gates is taken up with the cathedral church and the bishop's palace. It has five parish-churches; and is seated on the little river Lavant, which washes it on all sides except the north. This city would have been in a much more flourishing condition if it had been built by the sea-side; however, the inhabitants have endeavoured to supply this defect in some measure, by cutting a canal from the city down into the bay. The principal manufactures of the town are malt and needles. The market of Chichester is noted for fish, wheat, barley, malt, and oats; the finest lobsters in England are bred in the Lavant; and it is observable, that this river, unlike most others, is very low in winter, but in summer often overflows its banks. Chichester is a city and county of itself; it is governed by a mayor, recorder, aldermen, common-council without limitation, and four justices of the peace chosen out of the aldermen; and it sends two members to parliament. It is a bishop's see. The cathedral church was anciently dedicated to St Peter. It was new built by Radulph, the twenty-fifth bishop; but being destroyed by fire, it was again built by Scefridus II, the twenty-ninth bishop. This see hath yielded to the church two saints, and to the nation three lord chancellors, two almoners, and one chancellor to the university of Oxford. Anciently the bishops of Chichester were confessors to the queens of England. This diocese contains the whole of the county of Sussex (excepting 22 parishes, peculiarities of the archbishop of Canterbury), wherein are 250 parishes, whereof 112 are impropriated. It hath two archdeacons, viz. of Chichester and Lewes; is valued in the king's books at L. 677 : 1 : 3, and is computed to be worth annually L. 2600. The tenths of the whole clergy is L. 287 : 2 : 0½. To the cathedral belong a bishop, a dean, two archdeacons, a treasurer, a chancellor, thirty-two prebendaries, a chanter, twelve vicars-corial, and other officers. W. Long. 50° N. Lat. 50° 50'.