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.
John Lord Lumley is believed to have entertained Queen Elizabeth I there in 1591, having made elaborate preparations for the visit.
The Royal Arms is most famous for its Milk Punch, which is where it got its alternative name ‘The Old Punch House’.
The Punch produced here is said to have been one of Queen Victoria’s favourite tipples.
Before she and Prince Albert found Osbourne House on the Isle of Wight, and while looking about for a suitable alternative to the Brighton Pavilion, they often stayed in Chichester.
As a drink, it was made with milk to which lemon juice, sugar and rum was added then allowed to mature for up to two years.
Later in the 19th century, the property came into the ownership of G S Constable Ltd, brewers in Littlehampton and Arundel.
They continued the tradition of producing Milk Punch until the outbreak of the First World War.
Production at this time was discontinued, mainly due to sugar being in short supply due to rationing, as well as the length of time required to allow the drink to mature.
The Novium collections contain a bottle containing Milk Punch manufactured by G.S. Constable in the 1920s.
There have been various landlords and owners over subsequent years.
In 1983 the licensee was Dennis Pordage who, in 1998, made a call for longer opening hours in Chichester which would be more in keeping with those already accepted in Bognor and Littlehampton.
In March, 2000, over 100 firefighters were required to fight a serious fire at The Royal Arms.
It took a total of four hours to bring the fire under control.
Arson was first suspected but investigations concluded it was a carelessly discarded cigarette butt.
The fire badly damaged the roof and second floor.
The necessary repairs then took a couple of months longer to complete than anticipated so the pub wasn’t ready to re-open until July.
Advice needed to be sought from English Heritage to ensure the ornate 16th century plasterwork ceiling (on the first floor) was preserved and restored although it had survived relatively unscathed.
By 2006, the public house was owned by Alpha Investments, which decided to close the Royal Arms as a pub.
The district council granted planning permission to convert the pub into two retail shop outlets, currently Fat Face and River Island, subject to the ceilings being protected.
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.', '
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!
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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
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.
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Archaeological Evaluation at Lower Graylingwell, Chichester
Archaeological and Historical Background 2.1.1 An Archaeological Desk-based Assessment was produced for the site in 2014 (AMEC 2015), and a summary of the key findings are reproduced below. 2.1.2 A small Palaeolithic handaxe was found in an evaluation 150m east of the site. There are no records of Mesolithic finds within 500m of the site. 2.1.3 Early Neolithic pits containing pottery and flintwork were found at Baxendale Avenue some 150m south of the site, and four small pits, one containing later Neolithic pottery, during evaluation a
