History in Bloom: The Chichester Cathedral Festival of Flowers

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PATRICK AND MOIRA ALLEN

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PATRICK AND MOIRA ALLEN

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PATRICK AND MOIRA ALLEN

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PATRICK AND MOIRA ALLEN

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PATRICK AND MOIRA ALLEN

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During June 3-5, the 900-year-old stones of Chichester Cathedral in West Sussex will explode with color as the cathedral celebrates its 8th biennial Festival of Flowers. The festival is truly a feast for the senses: every nook, every niche, every chapel, every pillar of this magnificent building is decked with blooms, delighting the nose nearly as much as the eye. For the ear, there is an ongoing musical program featuring piano, harp, song and other instruments. And for taste—well, there’s always the option of taking tea in the Café Rosso pavilion, or the cathedral’s Cloisters Café (where, through the skylight, you may catch a glimpse of the peregrine family that nests in the bell tower).
For two days before the event, the cathedral closes to visitors while more than 250 arrangers and 200 other volunteers deck the building with more than 42,000 flower stems. Arrangements range from dramatic bouquets to floral scenes to elaborate sculptures (including, in 2008, a wedding cake made entirely of white roses, and a children’s Christmas tea that definitely looked good enough to eat!). Ancient tombs sport garlands and blankets of blooms; look up, and you’ll find hanging baskets of flowers alternating with chandeliers down the length of the nave, rivaling the stained glass for color and brilliance.
“We hope that people find peace and joy in our cathedral,” says Alison Godfrey, director of the Cathedral Restoration and Development Trust. And there is, indeed, something deeply spiritual about this juxtaposition of flower and stone. Chichester Cathedral was completed in 1188; its arches and columns exude permanence. Yet the flowers, too, are a reminder of eternity, for even though these blossoms will fade within days, they will bloom and bloom again, in a cycle of glory unrivaled by any artistry of man.
This year, the festival’s theme will be “Poetry in Paradise,” with each arrangement linked to a particular poem. “We hope it will spark remembrance of well loved poems and an opportunity to see those expressed visually and a chance to read some new poems,” says Godfrey. In addition to the floral displays, sculptures by artist Philip Jackson will also be on exhibit in the newly restored eastern arm of the cloisters.

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PATRICK AND MOIRA ALLEN

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PATRICK AND MOIRA ALLEN

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PATRICK AND MOIRA ALLEN

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©INTERNATIONAL PHOTOBANK/ALAMY

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PATRICK AND MOIRA ALLEN

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PATRICK AND MOIRA ALLEN

“A Market Cross for the Poor” was donated to the city by Bishop Storey in 1501; the magnificent original stands at the intersection just outside the cathedral.[/caption]

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