Arundel - Cathedral

The Cathedral Church of Our Lady and St Philip Howard became a cathedral at the foundation of the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton in 1965.
The cathedral's location, construction, design, and dedication owe much to the Howard family, who, as Dukes of Norfolk and Earls of Arundel are the most prominent English Catholic family, and rank first (below the royal family) in the Peerage of England. Since 1102 the seat of the Howards' ancestors has been Arundel Castle.


In 1664, Catholic worship was suppressed in England and all churches and cathedrals in England were transferred to the Church of England. With the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829, the foundation of Catholic parishes became lawful once again.

In 1868, Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 15th Duke of Norfolk, commissioned the architect Joseph Hansom to design a new Catholic sanctuary. The architectural style of the cathedral is French Gothic, a style that would have been popular between 1300 and 1400. The building is regarded as one of the finest examples of Gothic Revival architecture in the French Gothic style in the country.