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Chichester City Walls
The small city of Chichester retains a good proportion of its original defensive walls. Although not complete, sufficient of it survives, perhaps 60% to 70%, to allow a complete circuit of the city centre following what remains. Several sections are notably well preserved most particularly the northwestern and southwestern quadrants.
The wall dates originally from Roman times when it encircled the town of Noviomagus Reginorum, but was strengthened many times over the centuries particularly at the time of the 100 Years War (1337 to 1453) when attack from France was considered a real danger. Over the centuries breaches were made in the walls to allow roads to pass through and other sections were removed or modified to allow for the expansion of the city, but much of its circuit remains and was either incorporated into the fabric of the town, or remained as a delineation of the centre of this historic city.
There is a wall walk of about 1½ miles which follows the walls, sometimes on walkways near the top of the wall, sometimes alongside the walls, and at times some way from the remains; while the sections where the wall has disappeared require a bit of dead-reckoning on the part of the walker to link back up with the route, as in these places the signage leaves something to be desired.
Most of the route is on well made paths, though a section on the southwestern side is through a grassed area - though a better path is available further from the walls on the other side of the River Lavant.
The walls which were originally constructed in the C2nd AD and had their bastions added in the C4th, are a Scheduled Ancient Monument Link
and are listed by English Heritage as of Grade I status Link
The wall dates originally from Roman times when it encircled the town of Noviomagus Reginorum, but was strengthened many times over the centuries particularly at the time of the 100 Years War (1337 to 1453) when attack from France was considered a real danger. Over the centuries breaches were made in the walls to allow roads to pass through and other sections were removed or modified to allow for the expansion of the city, but much of its circuit remains and was either incorporated into the fabric of the town, or remained as a delineation of the centre of this historic city.
There is a wall walk of about 1½ miles which follows the walls, sometimes on walkways near the top of the wall, sometimes alongside the walls, and at times some way from the remains; while the sections where the wall has disappeared require a bit of dead-reckoning on the part of the walker to link back up with the route, as in these places the signage leaves something to be desired.
Most of the route is on well made paths, though a section on the southwestern side is through a grassed area - though a better path is available further from the walls on the other side of the River Lavant.
The walls which were originally constructed in the C2nd AD and had their bastions added in the C4th, are a Scheduled Ancient Monument Link
and are listed by English Heritage as of Grade I status Linkby Rob Farrow
Created: Tue, 19 Jan 2016, Updated: Tue, 19 Jan 2016
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