Plans Submitted To Rebuild Chichester Temple

Sunday, 4 February 2024 06:00

By Karen Dunn, Local Democracy Reporter

A mock-up of the Minerva Temple behind the lioness statue. Image: HMPC Ltd

Plans to rebuild a temple to the Roman goddess Minerva near Goodwood House have been submitted to Chichester District Council.

The temple once stood in the High Woods area of the Goodwood Estate but was dismantled, with its stones being stored there since the early 20th century.

Now an application has sought permission to re-use as many of the stones as possible – making up the shortfall with new quarried stone – to bring the temple to life once again.

If approved, it will sit to the north of the Grade-II listed Lioness Statue where the tree-lined paths within High Woods converge.

According to the National Archive, the statue itself marks the grave of one of the favourite ‘pets’ of a sister of the third Duke of Richmond (1735-1806).

Minerva was worshipped as goddess of many things – wisdom, medicine, commerce, handicrafts, poetry, the arts in general, and later, war.

A statement submitted with the application said:

“The proposed site is within the immediate area of the historic location of the temple, however alterations and extensions to Goodwood and their associated influence upon the landscape impede the re-use of the original site.

“The design of the temple has been based upon historic evidence and as such the original stones will be reinstated in their former context.

“The proposed reconstruction of the former Minerva Temple will reinstate a lost feature that once resided within the semi-formal woodland setting of High Woods.

“Whilst the purpose is not a faithful recreation of the temple in terms of its position it will remain on the periphery of the landscape bowl and associated man-made features that collectively form the Amphitheatre built by the second Duke of Richmond.”

To view the application, log on to planningpublicaccess.southdowns.gov.uk and search for 23/05415/FUL.