Great places to visit in and near Chichester

The beautiful county of Sussex is well known for its everlasting history, spanning from architectural gems to ancient woodlands, but its capital The City of Chichester is a must-see for all those who want to escape today and explore the past.

At its heart you will find the Market Cross, built in 1501, like a compass it sits as the confluence of North, South, East and West Streets - with each direction leading you to new discoveries of times gone by. Heading down West Street you will discover the magnificent, Medieval Chichester Cathedral, well known for its exquisite stained-glass window, composed by Marc Chagall and its cathedral choir, consisting of choristers from The Prebendal School, where evensong is hosted most evenings at 5.30pm.

Just as impressive, and nestled behind the cathedral complex is The Bishop’s Palace Gardens, a peaceful green space to unwind and soak in the sunshine. This haven is encircled by the Chichester City walls, built in the 3rd century, by the Romans. The wall stretches 1.5 miles long, the perfect length for an afternoon walk.

Although it has been 1800 years since the walls and gates were first built around the Roman town of Noviomagus Reginorum, today they are the most intact circuit of Roman town defenses in Southern England, with more than 80 per cent of the original structure still standing.

Along the way, you will come across Priory Park, situated in the north- east quadrant of Chichester. there you can still see where the walls were reinforced with a Norman motte. Central to the park's landscape is The Guildhall, a priory built in 1270, which was used by the resident Greyfriars who remained in Priory Park for more than two centuries until the dissolution of monasteries in the 16th Century.

Completing a full circle of the city will bring you to the Novium Museum which is built over a Roman bath house, so you can see the remains and gain insight into how the Romans lived their lives in Chichester. The museum has three floors, each celebrating Chichester and its long history celebrating Chichester's history.

On the second floor, there is the Cathedral View, where you can see the astounding view of the cathedral and the bell tower, which is unusual as the bells are not held in a belfry above the church, but in a separate tower or ‘campanile’. It stands 107 feet high and 43 feet square at the base, and the walls are just over 8 feet thick.

If you need some light refreshment head down East Street, where you will approach St Martin’s Street, where St Martin’s coffee house is situated. The 18th-century facade and medieval interior transports you back in time under a low wooden beamed ceiling - creating a snug, homely experience for everyone. A good place to stop and enjoy a cup of something warm and a delicious, organic bite to eat!

Even the trees north of Chichester at Kingley Vale are ancient with some of the oldest Yew Trees in England set amongst the South Downs, which are said to have inspired the famous hymn Jerusalem that celebrates "England's mountains green."

There are so many layers of history to peel back - the area is even home to the earliest fossil remains of the Homo species after a 500,000-year-old shin bone was discovered at Boxgrove, thought to have belonged to an extinct relative of modern humans.

For more information visit https://www.thegreatsussexway.org/