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
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
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.
'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.
video of culverts/storm drains/winterbourne route
Map of Chichester showing Rivers
www.streetmap.co.uk\\/map.srf?x=486359&y=104953&z=120&sv=chichester&st=3&tl=Map%20of%20Chichester%2C%20West%20Sussex%20[City%2FLarge%20Town]&searchp=ids.srf&mapp=map.srf&fbclid=IwAR2IV7YUeQ8u_GBTHRE24fSpUvVRwu5CpZxdPt1fs_injtw73WMxXbTQ25s
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.
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.