Maureen Williams, 82, of Westgate, recalled a school trip into the rumoured tunnels under Chichester when she was at Chichester High School for Girls.

 

She estimates she was in her early teens at the time and said she chose to share her memories after reading about the search for evidence in this newspaper.', '
She said: "It was under the Crypt and right next to the cathedral. We had already seen parts of it and while we were down there our teacher was talking about Keats. It went along South Street."

 

Poet John Keats began writing The Eve of St Agnes in Chichester in 1819, as is said to have spent time in the South Street building that was formerly The Buttery at the Crypt.

 

"It was all to do with Keats and I think what happened is we were talking to one of our teachers about it and there was one teacher who was very kind and decided she wanted to show us.

 

"Keats might have gone down into them to do some writing - it was so miserable down there."

 

Maureen described the tunnel as dark, and with a ''black and brownish sort of colour''.

 

He said: "There''s a story about Keats having a coffee near the crypt and actually watching this priest emerge from the tunnels but he would have been in a room above the Buttery.

 

"Her story is intriguing because it ties in with the the story about tunnels under South Street that runs down the East side of the path, by Iceland. Her story adds intrigue to intrigue because of the other rumours it ties in with but I would have to start researching the whole of South Street first."
Reacting to Liam''s comments, Maureen added: "I think that, at my age, I have not gone completely gaga like I thought I had. I am 82 but I don''t feel 82 and that has made feel like I really am alive!"
Find out more about the search for Chichester''s ''secret tunnels''

 

Random articles of interest

st johns church

About 50 years ago in the vestry of St. John’s Church In Chichester a flag stone was taken up by some teenagers and a tunnel was revealed. Apparently it runs along under St Johns Street in a south / north direction

.MS

Read more: st johns church

peterborough tunnels

One of the most common questions I’m asked about Peterborough’s history is whether there are any tunnels under the city. Local legends say that there is a tunnel stretching from the Cathedral to Monk’s Cave at Longthorpe. Similar tunnels are alleged to stretch from the Cathedral to the abbeys at Thorney or Crowland.

 

These are familiar myths in many historic cities across the UK, mostly urban legends based on half remembrances of sewers, cellars or crawlspaces, coupled with wishful thinking and rumour.

 

The stories of tunnels from Peterborough to

Read more: peterborough tunnels

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

 

 

40 east street

EAST STREET No 40
SU 8604 NW 4/103
Grade II
C18. 3 storeys and attic. 2 windows. Red brick.

Panelled parapet hiding
dormers. Sash windows in reveals in flat arches; rubbed brick voussoirs; glazing bars missing in lower windows.

C20 plate glass shop front and fascia on ground floor.

Read more: 40 east street

Why build a cellar

cellar image

First, there are no maps in the presentation to hidden tunnels , all information is in the public domain and if we get distracted during our searches that is only natural. 
I will try and make this as interesting as possible and we will not be getting our boots dirty.

Why have a cellar?
Having a cellar was actually quite an expensive and a time consuming affair. Most people didn't. There was no point unless there was something to store or servants to hide. 

Read more: Why build a cellar

Graylingwell plan with well and springs ponds

Graylingwell plan with well and springs ponds.

Read more: Graylingwell plan with well and springs ponds

researching properties using the council planning system

An introduction to researching properties

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

 

The Buttery

There is rumoured to be a tunnel from the white horse to the buttery and then from the buttery to the cathedral.

Regarding a tunnel from the crypt to the cathedral. Apparently Keats while upstairs being "entertained" watched the monks lock the gate to the cathedral. Now did he have xray specs on ??? That''s the pic of the guy gesturing towards the shelves is where the door way used to be

Read more: The Buttery

More In Articles