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where are the tunnels?

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?

Russilon Barracks

The Chichester SMR holds information for 48 sites, whilst the National Monuments Record
Centre holds details of a further 16 sites within the study area. An additional four sites were
located through analysis of historic mapping and during the course of the walkover survey and
one from aerial photographs. Full site descriptions and locations can be seen in Appendix B.
Within the report, the bracketed numbers after site descriptions relate to those allocated to
individual sites in Appendix B and on Figure 2.

Underneath Hansford Menswear

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

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

Doline – Chichester To Westbourne

Brandy Hole Lane, East Broyle Copse area in the northwest part of Chichester. A well-developed doline line extends east-west across the area to the north of Brandy Hole Lane, along the underlying Chalk-Reading Beds boundary.

The Environment Agency has made 1m-resolution LIDAR imagery coverage for large areas of England and Wales freely available on the internet under Open Government Licence (www.lidarfinder.com).

summersdale golf course and mr Stride

Between The Drive’s western and southern ends, Charles Stride built a private estate in c.1905 which included a nine hole golf course designed by James Braid, a lodge (Uplands), and a mansion (Woodland Place) with tree-lined grounds which, as Rew Lane, was developed in the late 1950s. The golf course was too close to the Goodwood course to be a commercial success and it was given up for gravel extraction immediately prior to the first World War, with a mineral branch line connected later to the Chichester-Midhurst railway.
His golf course and pavilion is mentioned in https://golfsmissinglinks.co.uk/index.php/england/south-east/sussex/851-sus-summersdale-golf-club-chichester

The club was founded in 1904.

Summersdale Neighbourhood Character Appraisal

'

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.

Featured in Chichester Observer

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.', '

Chichester Culverts

We do not suggest going into the culverts.
These are not classified as tunnels and can be dangerous

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