Chichester’s energy hits you from the first moment. This harbour city in West Sussex blends ancient streets with bright waterfronts and lively corners. You can sense the Roman roots as you stroll past old city walls, while hints of drama from medieval times pop up in tucked-away courtyards.
There’s a fun mix here, from the cathedral’s striking spire to winding canal paths and beaches just a short drive away. If you’re looking for a place where history and the coast feel close and easy to explore, Chichester is a great start.
If walking in nature, always follow the Countryside Code, to keep dogs and barnyard friends safe. If visiting the nearby coast, read our post on keeping dogs safe by the seaside.
Chichester’s Historic Core
Chichester’s centre feels like a living museum, where centuries-old walls frame the city’s daily rhythm. These old stones aren’t just for show—every block has seen emperors, merchants, and families shape the place into something unexpected.
Come with an open mind, and you might spot echoes of gladiators or locals debating at the market. Here’s what makes this city centre stand out.
Roman Walls and Amphitheatre
The Roman walls tracing Chichester’s heart are impossible to miss, rising in solid stretches along busy pavements and quiet paths. Built around 1800 years ago, they are among the best-preserved in southern England.
The walls were first laid in local stone and thick rubble, an impressive feat for the builders. Today, about 80% of the original route still circles the city centre—a rare sight anywhere in Britain.
Walking here, you can follow the chalky outline as the walls form a neat square, about 1.5 miles in total. These walls once guarded a bustling Roman town called Noviomagus Reginorum. Four main gates marked where traffic and trade came in and out. Parts of those gates survive at places like North and East Street, their stonework full of stories.
Just outside the city’s walls stands a quieter, grassy stretch—once the site of Chichester’s Roman amphitheatre. Back in its peak, this oval arena would pack in thousands, maybe up to 5,000 people, for everything from drama and speeches to gladiator events.
Today, you’ll find a raised mound overlooking park lawns, with plaques showing where seats, entrances, and staging once stood. It’s peaceful and easy to miss, but if you picture the crowds and the noise, it brings the city’s old pulse to life.
You can take a relaxed self-guided walk, tracing ramparts and finding little reminders of the amphitheatre. Modern Chichester now flows over parts of these Roman sites, but the city centre’s shape, and even parts of the street plan, still fit the grid laid out nearly two millennia ago.
Waterways That Shaped the City
Water gave Chichester much of its early shape, setting the city’s pace long before today’s roads and railways. Streams, rivers, and a bold canal cut through streets and fields, creating neighbourhoods and linking people with coast and countryside.
From the River Lavant’s sometimes fierce presence to the winding stretch of the Chichester Canal, water wasn’t just a backdrop—it changed how streets were laid out, where people built homes, and even what businesses thrived. These waterways moved trade, offered escape routes in tough times, and still add a spark to city life.
River Lavant: The Lifeline
The River Lavant snakes quietly through Chichester, but its story runs deep in the city’s bones. This chalk stream finds its source in the South Downs, threading its way through villages before slipping towards the city centre.
In many places, the river runs dry most of the year, but during heavy rains it can turn from a trickle to a torrent. The Lavant’s unpredictable flows once meant regular floods. In Roman and medieval times, spring melt or bad storms would push the river over its banks, sometimes swamping streets and low-lying homes.
Because of this, Chichester’s planners shaped roads and buildings to work with, rather than against, the river’s mood:
- Street Layout: Roads often follow the river’s old course or sit above the floodplain, keeping key spots dry.
- Public Spaces: Parks and open spaces line the Lavant, doubling as natural flood basins in a storm.
- Flood Defence: In more recent years, the city built culverts, embankments, and underground channels to steer water safely through busy neighbourhoods. These defences proved their worth during the floods of the late 1990s, protecting homes and reducing damage.
You’ll still spot hints of the river’s path today. Some of the oldest bridges date back to medieval crossings. Street names, like West Lavant Lane, nod to the days when water ruled the daily routine. Even when the river runs quiet, it still shapes Chichester’s green spaces and gives children a place to paddle on warm days.
Chichester Canal and Harbour
A walk along the Chichester Canal feels a bit like time travel. Dug out in the early 1800s, the canal was the city’s bold answer to Britain’s trade boom. It stretched from the harbour at Birdham to the city centre, passing under roads and beside fields. Flat-bottomed boats, called barges, once carried coal, grain, and local goods from inland to the coast, then out to bigger ships for London or Europe.
The Chichester Canal’s highlights include:
- Construction in 1822-1823: The canal was part of a grand plan to connect Portsmouth Harbour to London. While it never drew the traffic its backers hoped, for years it kept goods flowing in and out of Chichester.
- Trade and Industry: Farmers shipped grain and timber; coal came in for local blacksmiths and bakers. Wharves lined the banks at busy points, with sheds and small warehouses popping up right beside the water.
- Shifts with Time: By the late 19th century, railways and better roads took over. The canal fell into quiet use, then was gradually filled in or left wild outside the city.
Chichester Harbour itself changed pace along with the city. Once alive with cargo ships, it now draws more sailors than traders. Today, the harbour is one of England’s main leisure sailing spots. Read our post for sustainable sailors!
Coastal Neighbourhood Beauty
Chichester is more than winding lanes and quiet waterways. The coast nearby is every bit as rewarding, with broad skies and stretching beaches where the land eases into the English Channel. Out here, the bustle fades. You stand by windswept dunes, spot wildlife hiding in the saltmarsh, and taste the sea air.
Every coastal corner around Chichester offers a twist—bays for sandcastles, meadows for birdwatching, and tiny harbours dotted with sailing boats. You have plenty to see and even more to try, whether you fancy a peaceful picnic or crave the taste of fresh seafood.
West Dean and West Wittering
A short drive from Chichester brings you out to West Dean’s gentle woodlands, but head south and you’ll find West Wittering, loved by locals for its sandy sweep. It’s the kind of beach you imagine on a postcard—wide, soft sand that seems to stretch forever. The dunes roll behind, bristling with grasses that rustle in the breeze. Even on livelier days, you can always search out a quieter patch for yourself.
West Wittering is ideal for classic seaside fun:
- Sandy bays perfect for paddling and swimming, safe for children and gentle on the feet.
- Grassy dunes for shelter and exploring, where you’ll find wildflowers and, sometimes, rabbits. Never walk on sand dunes, and keep dogs away, to protect coastal birds and seals.
- Nature reserves such as East Head, a shifting sand spit loved by bird-lovers and walkers alike.
The nature reserve at East Head draws people with its rare plants and flocks of waders. Terns and oystercatchers swoop over the saltmarsh, and during spring and autumn, you might spot migrating birds taking a well-earned rest.
West Dean, slightly inland, offers leafy footpaths, secret gardens, and stately trees if you need a break from the salt air. The contrast of beach and woodland reminds you just how varied Chichester’s outskirts can be.
Selsey: Seaside Charm
Selsey sits at the tip of a peninsula south of Chichester, with pebbled shores and a character of its own. The first thing you notice is the slower pace., with old painted boats near the harbourside.
The Selsey Bill lighthouse is a local highlight. It stands out against the blue, a watchful marker where land gives up to sea. It’s often a backdrop for visiting families and day‑trippers looking to snap a holiday photo.
Wildlife watching: The area is known for rare bird sightings, including little terns, plovers, and sometimes even visiting seals. Tidal pools and marsh edges give shelter to all kinds of small creatures.
Conclusion
Chichester pulls off a rare mix. Roman stone, medieval twists, and salt-sprayed coast all feel tightly woven, never forced. For the full story, you need to walk the city, trace the walls, follow the canal, and wander the sands. Each part brings out a different side, from quiet ruins to lively seaside chatter.
If you’re after a place that hands you both old tales and fresh air, head to Chichester. Explore its streets, waterways, and beaches at your own pace.
