Chichester Walk on 3rd January 2024

The New Year walk in Chichester started in Northgate car park with a shower of rain that got heavier as we made our way to Priory Park, the wind joined the rain so a brief stop to view the area where Chichester’s Norman Castle once stood. Built by the Earl of Shrewsbury in the 11th century, by the 13th century it was used as a court and jail, captured by the French then later recaptured by the English in 1217, its destruction was ordered by Henry III between 1222 and 1269. We continued to follow the city walls overlooking the Guildhall with the Cathedral in the background. We heard about the Gunpowder store which was formed in 1838 when the city wall was breached for Priory Road. Allegedly, gunpowder and muskets from the Civil War in 1642 were found in a hidden store. Walking away from the city walls we realised it was too wet to stop on the benches at the Canal basin and unfortunately the coffee shop and Heritage Centre were closed. The volunteers of the Canal taking a well earned rest from all the pre-Christmas boat trips and Santa returning to Lapland. However, we ‘bumbled’ along to another establishment and enjoyed their coffee whilst the weather cleared, later re-joining the walls around the outside of the Cathedral gardens, past the oldest school in Sussex, a private preparatory, the Prebendal School was originally opened as a song school for teaching and housing of the Cathedral Choristers. From the top of North street back to West street all areas of the city walls and each end of the four main streets that lead to the Cross, East, South, North ending at West were visited before arriving for lunch at the Crate and Apple.