Gallery

basement and general shots of 40 east street chichester

7292020101659

Random articles of interest

where are the tunnels?

Are you curious about the tunnels in Chichester? If you are, you are not alone. Many people have wondered about the existence and purpose of these underground passages that are said to run under the city. Some claim they have seen them, others have heard stories about them, but what is the truth behind the mystery?

In this blog post, I will try to shed some light on the tunnels in Chichester, based on some web searches and historical sources. I will also share some of the rumours and legends that surround them, and invite you to share your own experiences or opinions in the comments section.

What are the tunnels in Chichester?

The tunnels in Chichester are a network of underground passages that are believed to date back to Roman times or earlier. They are said to follow the old foundations of the Roman wall on the east side of the city centre, and to connect various buildings and landmarks, such as the cathedral, the market cross, and the crypt.

The tunnels have been rumoured to serve different purposes over time, such as smuggling routes, secret passages for clergy, hiding places during the Reformation, or escape routes during wars or invasions. Some people also think that poet John Keats used the tunnels for inspiration when he wrote The Eve of St Agnes in Chichester in 1819.

However, there is little concrete evidence to support these claims, and most of them are based on hearsay or speculation. The tunnels have been blocked off or filled in over time, making them inaccessible or invisible to most people. Only a few traces of them remain, such as a blocked-off passage in the cellar of Hansfords Menswear shop, or a dark tunnel under the crypt where a schoolgirl claimed to have visited in the 1940s.

What do experts say about the tunnels?

The existence and origin of the tunnels in Chichester have been a subject of interest for archaeologists and historians for many years. However, they have not been able to confirm or deny their presence or function with certainty.

One of them is Claire Mandville, She has been researching the tunnels in Chichester for a while, and has interviewed several people who claim to have seen or heard about them.

She said: "There's definitely something there but it's hard to say what it is. It could be anything from drainage systems to cellars to actual tunnels. It's possible that some of them were used for smuggling or other purposes but it's hard to prove. I think they are fascinating and I would love to explore them if I could."

Also plans to expand his research and investigations on the tunnels, and to involve more of the local community in his project. She said: "I think it's important to document them before they are lost or forgotten. It's a great way to engage people with their local heritage and culture."

What do you think about the tunnels?

The tunnels in Chichester remain a mystery that intrigues many people. Whether they are real or not, they have inspired stories and legends that add to the charm and character of the city. What do you think about them? Have you ever seen them or heard about them? Do you have any theories or questions about them? Let me know in the comments below!

Brandy Hole caving session

From trying to locate the areas marked on the old maps as smugglers or roman caves at the approc following locations. Our team tried to take photos as best we could.

su 85228 06608 50.8527, -0.7906
su 85255 06596 50.8526, -0.7902
su 85249 06577 50.8524, -0.7903
su 85248 06565 50.8523, -0.7903
su 85329 06661 50.8532, -0.7892
su 85359 06657 50.8531, -0.7887

General - brandyhole (36)

General - wetherspoons (8)

The Punch house

ON THE south side of East Street, close to the Market Cross, lies number 92 which up until fairly recently was The Royal Arms public house (also known as Ye Olde Punch House).

Although the façade dates to the Georgian era, the building is of a timber-framed construction said to date from the 16th century.

Much of the original building survives including highly decorated plaster ceilings displaying the Tudor Rose and fleur-de-lis.

It was once a private town house belonging to the Lumley family of Stansted.

ABSOLUTE ARCHAEOLOGY Rousillonn Barracks Evaluation

AArc141/14/EVAL Roussillon Park, Broyle Road, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 BBL

Sporadic finds represent the early prehistoric period in the vicinity of the Project Site, with
the discovery of Palaeolithic axe in a garden on Brandy Hole Lane (c. 600m to the NW)
and a Neolithic stone axe, in the vicinity of Spitalfield Lane, over 1km to the SE (Lee 2008:
9).

Bronze Age activity has been recorded c. 500m to the east of the site, in the vicinity of
Garyiingwell Hospital, where evidence for settlement was identified along with remains of
six cremation burials (Lee 2008: 9).

tunnels underneath Hansford Menswear

A number of those readers remembered a story about tunnels underneath Hansford Menswear, also in South Street, so we spoke the shop's owner to find out more Matthew Hansford described a blocked-off passage in cellar of the shop, which he believes may have led to the cathedral

Graylingwell Heritage Project

'Graylingwell Heritage Project', 'graylingwell-heritage-project', '

BENEATH THE WATER TOWER

The Graylingwell Heritage Project has been a community based heritage and arts programme located in Chichester, West Sussex.

The original Victorian buildings had a central boiler house with the water tower which is, after the Cathedral spire, by far the tallest building in Chichester. And if you go up to the Trundle and look down on Chichester, the only two buildings you can see are the Cathedral spire and the Graylingwell water tower.

Summersdale FOOTBALL FIELD SURPRISE

FOOTBALL FIELD SURPRISE.

A singular happening lay behind the prosaic news on saturday that the
chuichester and District League football ﬁxture, Summersadale VS Boxgrove, had o be postponed
owing to the ground on this hill suburb of Chichester being unfit.

65 East Street

DD
I worked at 65 East Street when it was ''Hammick''s Bookshop'' (now Specsavers). We had a trapdoor in the middle of the floor that led down to a tunnel-shaped cellar that seemed to extend through the front of the shop and under the pavement outside. I didn''t see any evidence of it ever having joined another tunnel and imagine that perhaps there was once an opening in the pavement for deliveries.

\r\n