My Second Post

A city and county of itself; containing nine parishes, 821 houses, and 4744 inhabitants. It is situated in a pleasant vale on the little river Lavant, which washes it on all sides, except the north, and is said to have been built by Cissa, the second king of the South Saxons, and named Cissan Caester. It consists of four principal streets, in the form of a cross, is surrounded with a stone wall, and had formerly four gates: the streets are broad, handsome, and well paved, and there are six parish churches within the walls. This city sends two members to parliament, and is governed by a mayor, recorder, and 38 common councilmen, 4 justices of the peace being chosen out of the aldermen. An ancient nunnery founded here, is now converted into an hospital which has a very neat chapel. The Guildhall, situated in an obscure part of the city, is a spacious ancient building, and the council chamber, which is over the market house, supported by pillars, is both neat and elegant, adjoining to which is a subscription assembly room, and there is a small theatre, situated at the bottom of South-street.

The bishop’s palace, erected in 1727, has very commodious and well laid-out grounds. The cathedral, which is built in the form of a cross, on the site of St. Peter’s the Great, and dedicated to the Holy Trinity, is an elegant Gothic structure; the spire nearly 300 feet high. The choir of late has been neatly repaired, and has a well-furnished library. In the south aisle is painted the history of its foundation, and under it are the portraits of our kings, from William the Conqueror to Edward the Sixth, continued in the chapter house and library, to George the Second: on the east side are the bishops. The see was translated here from Selsea, in the reign of William the Conqueror. In a nich, near the east door of St. Peter’s the Great, which stands within the cathedral, is a statue of bishop Seiffrid, who built the church in 1199, together with the palace, cloisters, &c.