Hewitt's History Files

JOYCE McKenzie was old enough to know that her family home most certainly wasn't a slum when it was demolished along with so much of Somerstown in the 1960s.

In fact, she's yet to meet a former resident of Chichester's lost suburb who agrees that demolition was necessary. To Joyce, there was no gain; simply loss.

Two-thirds of Somerstown '“ the houses on the east side of St Paul's Road '“ was pulled down. It says it all, as far as Joyce is concerned, that the remaining third, Parchment, Washington and Cavendish Streets, is now Grade II listed.

For full feature see West Sussex Gazette January 28