Chichester Cathedral building re-dedicated to George Bell

Taking place on Tuesday evening, in the chancel of the cathedral, the event started with a thanksgiving for the life of Bishop George Bell, who served as Bishop of Chichester from 1929 to 1958.

Shortly afterwards, number 4 Canon Lane was rededicated to Bishop Bell in a ceremony led by Interim Dean, The Reverend Canon Simon Holland. Although the name 4 Canon Lane may be used in some correspondence, the building is now officially known as George Bell House.

The building was first dedicated to George Bell in 2008, but his name was stripped from the property in 2016, following allegations of sexual abuse which emerged a year prior.

In 2019, the Church of England apologised for publishing the allegations after an enquiry by an ecclesiastical lawyer claimed the decision was made without ‘serious investigation or enquiry’. A second report, commissioned to investigate new claims made to Sussex Police, later discovered the accusations were unsupported.

In a statement made at the time, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said: “I apologise unreservedly for the mistakes made in the process surrounding the handling of the original allegation against Bishop George Bell. The reputation of Bishop Bell is significant, and I am clear that his memory and the work he did is of as much importance to the Church today as it was in the past.”