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 is an attractive area in the north of Chichester. Spacious and leafy, the character of the area is now under threat with many houses on large plots at risk of demolition and re-development. It is an historic suburb with high quality architecture in street scenes that are worthy of enlightened protection.
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
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.
summeerdale football ,I have an update on the old newspaper article relating to Summersdale and the tunnel found under a football pitch. I sent an email to the Summersdale Residents Association, and they were extremely helpful with one of the members being able to identify a location for the site of the pitch. Looking at some old maps and combining the documents from Liam Mandville regarding subsidence etc. the area between The Avenue and Highland Road (on the Eastern side), does fit well as to the location. Many of the properties built on this site have substantial gardens so there may still be something to find that could explain what was found by the groundkeeper all those years ago? ,5f6f8e5fb6881-116345275_10157348686446892_326855352233187857_n.jpg,5f6f8e5fb7b45-116168775_10157348685396892_1033817068655264665_n.jpg
Historically, to build a house with a simple cellar you would dig out the ground to a depth of around 6ft, the cellar walls would have been constructed with a lining of stone or brick and with a drain for water within the cellar. The floors would have been built up on crushed stone or sand to provide a level surface and paved, usually with flags. Brick paving became more common in later periods.
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).
It was under the Crypt and right next to the cathedral
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.
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.
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!
27 East street
MB My mum worked 27 east street and when it flooded in the 90s they found a big cellar and you could look down into an area which was like a tunnel