Chichester’s earliest inns can be traced back to mediaeval times when they catered for pilgrims visiting the shrine of St Richard in the cathedral. Over time they came to serve all types of travellers, who needed rest and food after travelling along the notoriously bad Sussex roads. By the middle of the seventeenth century there were seven inns in Chichester, as well as 50 alehouses, taverns, and other premises that sold drink. Given the population was only 2,000 people at the time, of whom over half were women and children, it can be seen that Chichester was a boozy city and remained so until the beginning of the twentieth century.
The Chichester Society obtained a Lottery Grant to create 8 heritage Trails, one of which related to pubs, inns and hotels. These were originally produced in leaflet form, but most of these are now out-of-print. To make them available for a wider audience I digitised them and they were made available on the Society’s website. However, ongoing maintenance is undertaken on this website.
Updates
The pub trail only contains about 19 premises, but many more existed over the centuries and I created a second digital version covering this larger collection. New information continues to emerge which requires the walking trails and the expanded list to be updated here. The intention is to provide updates for the Chichester Society website.
For example, additional information has been added to ‘The Old Cross’, ‘The Bull Inn’, ‘The Star’, ‘The White Horse’ and ‘The Nursery Arms’. Also added as a new entry is ‘The Mitre’ in the Parklands. Also the ‘Crate and Apple’ closed in 2024.
Walking Trail
To view the map you are recommended to enlarge it by clicking on the four-cornered symbol in the top right hand corner.
Extended collection of pubs
To view the map you are recommended to enlarge it by clicking on the four-cornered symbol in the top right hand corner.
Some year ago, whilst living in Chichester, I was a regular customer of the Eastgate Inn (then a Gale’s Ales pub). I remember a framed and hand drawn map by Mervyn Cutten, of all known pubs in thr City. Does anyone know where I might be able to find a copy please?
The map was reproduced in the Chichester local history Chichester Paper No 46, Some Inns and Ale Houses of Chichester by Mervyn Cutten. Although long out of print a copy might be obtainable from Kim’s Bookshop in Arundel. Alternatively a copy can be consulted at West Sussex Record office