Around 1180, the wealthy Norman merchant and landlord of Titchfield, Jean de Gisors, gave the Augustinian Canons of Southwick Abbey a piece of land so that they could build a chapel on it. This chapel became a parish church in the 14th century and a cathedral in the 20th century. The chancel and the transept are still preserved from this original building. Between 1683 and 1693 the old tower and the nave were demolished and replaced by a new nave, aisles and a new tower.
Between 1902 and 1904 the church was closed in order to carry out necessary restoration work. In 1927 the Diocese of Portsmouth was established. In 1932, Sir Charles Nicholson published plans to enlarge the church. However, these plans never came to fruition. The cathedral was finally completed in 1991, although the building turned out to be much smaller than planned.
organ
View of the organ
The organ was installed in the cathedral in 1994 by the organ builders Nicholson & Co. (Malvern). The instrument had been built for Holy Trinity Church in Bolton and was then installed in the cathedral in the existing organ case from 1718. The instrument has 60 registers on four manuals and a pedal. The actions are electric.
