70-624: Roussillon Barracks was a military installation in Chichester . The barracks were originally established as part of the British response to the threat of the French Revolution in tented accommodation in 1795 and were enhanced by the use of wooden huts in 1803. In 1873 a system of recruiting areas based on counties was instituted under the Cardwell Reforms and the barracks became the depot for
140-482: A United States Army Air Forces Consolidated B-24 Liberator crashed in the city, killing three, injuring 38, and damaging hundreds of local buildings. A new West Sussex county library was built in Tower Street in 1967, designed by county architect FR Steele. This was listed at Grade II in 2015. In December 1993 and January 1994, Chichester was affected by the 1993–94 West Sussex floods . On 21 November 2017,
210-464: A maritime climate . With its position in southern England, Chichester has mild winters and cool summers. West Sussex has high sunshine levels compared with other parts of the UK with around 1,900 hours annually. The 2011 census recorded a population of 26,795 for the city of Chichester, forming 12,316 households. The 2021 census recorded an increase in population to 29,407, forming 13,263 households. There
280-638: A 1992 episode of A Bit of Fry and Laurie , the 2003 film Bright Young Things directed by Stephen Fry , the 2005 film Stoned about Brian Jones from the Rolling Stones , and also in the 2009 film Sherlock Holmes . The city is periodically referred to in Call the Midwife , as the seat of the Order of Saint Raymond Nonnatus , the mother house's exterior being depicted in episode 1.6. The West Sussex Record Office
350-490: A changing programme of exhibitions. Chichester is home to the South Downs Planetarium & Science Centre , which opened in 2001 and features a program of public star shows in its 100-seat theatre. The Sloe Fair , a funfair that dates back to the 12th Century, is held annually on 20 October in the city's Northgate car park. Chichester Cinema at New Park is the city's first and only arthouse cinema. It shows
420-655: A continuing research archaeological excavation on the site of nearby, possible military buildings as well as a harbour area located on the southern portion of the Fishbourne site. The latest excavation season was conducted in 2002. The Fishbourne Roman Palace Museum was closed to the public in March 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic . The Sussex Archaeological Society lost an estimated £1 million in income from visitors, and in June began
490-468: A house of some comfort. These buildings were demolished around 60 AD and replaced nearby with an elaborate and substantial stone-walled villa, or proto-palace, in about 65 AD which included a courtyard garden with colonnades and a bath suite, together with two other buildings, and using material taken from the earlier buildings. It was decorated with wall paintings, stucco mouldings and opus sectile marble polychrome panels. The life-size head of
560-420: A larger footprint than Buckingham Palace . The location of Fishbourne, in proximity to Chichester ( Noviomagus Reginorum ), is often looked to when discussing the opulent wealth represented at Fishbourne as well as solidification for the claim of Cogidubnus as the villa owner. The city of Chichester was in the heart of the dominant Atrebates tribe, but their early introduction to Roman imperialism created
630-483: A new car park was underway. A museum, The Novium , preserving the baths was opened on 8 July 2012. An amphitheatre was built outside the city walls, close to the East Gate, in around 80 AD. The area is now a park, but the site of the amphitheatre is discernible as a gentle bank approximately oval in shape; a notice board in the park gives more information. In January 2017, archaeologists using underground radar reported
700-467: A number of aristocrats living in the area who must have used the same workforce. The full-size palace with four residential wings surrounding a formal courtyard garden of 250 by 320 feet (75 by 100 metres) was built in around 75–80 AD and took around five years to complete, incorporating the proto-palace in its south-east corner. Massive levelling of the vast site reached up to 5 feet (1.5 metres) in places. The gardens were surrounded by colonnades in
770-542: A period of instability. During this period, Rome's control over Britain was contested by a former Roman military commander named Carausius , who revolted against the Roman hegemony and declared himself ruler of the Isle around 280 AD. In turn, it is possible that the palace's destruction was a part of a more widespread period of disruption caused by the revolt, although this scenario is not certain. All objects and furnishings within
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#1732855790671840-612: A pseudo-friendly relationship between the Romans and the Atrebates. The tribal people in the area were later called the Regni after being ruled by Roman client kings for so long. A research article written by David Tomalin, suggests that the Fishbourne palace may have possibly been designated as a "seat of lordship", which meant that it may have had greater financial and social authority as opposed to other palaces or villas in its vicinity. Furthermore,
910-666: A selection of mainstream, small-budget and older films 7 days a week. It hosts an annual 18-day International Film Festival in August/September. Vice-presidents are Maggie Smith and Kenneth Branagh . There is a larger, multiplex cinema located at Chichester Gate. Chichester's previous cinemas were the Olympia Electric on Northgate (1911–1922), the Plaza Cinema on South Street (1920–1960, the Odeon from 1945 and now Iceland supermarket),
980-486: A young man carved in marble, found during excavations in May 1964, and identified as a likeness of Nero aged 13 created at, or shortly after, his formal adoption by the emperor Claudius in 50 AD probably originated from the proto-palace. Foreign, probably Italian, craftsmen had to be employed at this early period. This building was not unique in this area as the villa at Angmering was similar in many respects and suggests
1050-472: Is a small imbalance in the sex ratio , with 15,701, female residents (53.3%) and 13,706 male residents (46.7%). 26,622 residents (91%) listed their ethnic group as white. Chichester has one of the highest rates of empty homes in England, with 1 in every 17 houses vacant. In October 2020, 3,444 houses were vacant, of which 3,302 were second homes. The city has a tourist industry. Several marinas are situated in
1120-787: Is approximately equivalent to Nero 's Golden House in Rome or to the Villa Romana del Casale near to Piazza Armerina in Sicily , and in plan it closely mirrors the basic organization of the emperor Domitian 's palace, the Domus Flavia , completed in 92 AD upon the Palatine Hill in Rome. Fishbourne is by far the largest Roman residence known north of the Alps . At about 500,000 square feet (46,000 m ), it has
1190-582: Is in Orchard Street and contains the county archives. On 21 April 2017 it was announced that a second parchment manuscript copy of the United States Declaration of Independence , now termed The Sussex Declaration , had been discovered in the archives. Chichester has one of the highest rates of empty homes in England, with 1 in every 17 houses vacant. In October 2020, 3,444 houses were vacant, of which 3,302 were second homes. Founded in 1881,
1260-627: Is one of the United Kingdom's flagship producing and touring theatres, whose annual summer season attracts actors, writers and directors from the West End theatre and the USA. Pallant House Gallery , winner of the 2007 gallery of the year Gulbenkian Prize , has a major collection of chiefly modern British art and in 2006 opened a new extension that houses the collection of Sir Colin St John Wilson . It has
1330-430: Is preserved, along with an on-site museum. The rectangular palace surrounded formal gardens , the northern parts of which have been reconstructed. Extensive alterations were made in the second and third centuries AD, when many of the original black and white mosaics were overlaid with more sophisticated coloured work, including the perfectly preserved Dolphin mosaic in the north wing. More alterations were in progress when
1400-689: The 35th (Royal Sussex) Regiment of Foot , the 107th (Bengal Infantry) Regiment of Foot and the Royal Sussex Light Infantry Militia . The keep, built in the Fortress Gothic Revival Style , and chapel were added in 1875. Following the Childers Reforms , the three regiments amalgamated to form the Royal Sussex Regiment in 1881, with its depot in the barracks. Further enhancements to the barracks took place in
1470-668: The Chichester Canal and the River Lavant . The Lavant, a winterbourne , runs to the south of the city walls; it is hidden mostly in culverts when close to the city centre. There is no recorded evidence that Chichester was a settlement of any size before the coming of the Romans . The area around Chichester is believed to have played a significant part during the Roman invasion of AD 43 , as confirmed by evidence of military storage structures in
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#17328557906711540-503: The Chichester district of West Sussex , England . It is the only city in West Sussex and is its county town . It was a Roman and Anglo-Saxon settlement and a major market town from those times through Norman and medieval times to the present day. It is the seat of the Church of England Diocese of Chichester and is home to a 12th-century cathedral. The city has two main watercourses:
1610-676: The Norman Conquest in 1066, the cathedral that had been founded in 681 at Selsey was moved to Chichester after the Council of London of 1075 decreed that Sees should be centred in cities. When the Domesday Book of 1086 was compiled, Cicestre in the Hundred of Stockbridge (comprising 102 households across the five areas outside the city) comprised 300 dwellings which held a population of 1,500 people, and had an annual value of 25 pounds. There
1680-672: The Roussillon Barracks in 1958. The military presence had mostly ceased by 2014 and the site was being developed for housing. with the former Guardroom known as The Keep playing host to a detachment of the Army Cadet Force . At the beginning of the 19th-century, Chichester's livestock market was recorded as the second largest in the country. Chichester was bombed by the Luftwaffe during World War II , but fared relatively well compared to larger English cities. On 11 May 1944,
1750-551: The Royal Military Police who arrived from Inkerman Barracks and took over the site in 1964. Lieutenant-Commander Alfredo Astiz , an Argentine commander, was questioned at the barracks in June 1982 about the murder of Swedish and French nationals. The Royal Military Police left the site in September 2005 and planning permission for housing was granted in 2011. The keep was retained as an army careers office, and, in 2019, it
1820-475: The South Downs . This winterbourne for part of its course now runs through the city in underground culverts. The city's site made it an ideal place for settlement, with many ancient routeways converging here. The oldest section lies within the medieval walls of the city, which are built on Roman foundations. The Chichester conservation area , designated for its architectural and historic interest, encompasses
1890-815: The 1930s when the wooden huts were removed. The name of the barracks, given in 1958, commemorates the actions of the 35th (Royal Sussex) Regiment of Foot in putting the Regiment Royal Roussillon to flight at the Battle of the Plains of Abraham during the Seven Years' War . The barracks were demoted to the status of out-station to the Home Counties Brigade depot at Howe Barracks in Canterbury in 1959. Extensive building took place from 1960 until 1964 to accommodate
1960-481: The Chichester District Council adopted a 'Southern Gateway' plan to redevelop an area from the law courts to the canal basin, including the two railway level crossings. Historically, Chichester was a city and liberty , thereby largely self-governing. Although it has retained its city status, in 1888 it became a municipal borough , transferring some powers to West Sussex administrative county. In 1974
2030-660: The Chichester Symphony Orchestra has both amateur and professional players. Three concerts are given each year with the summer concert being part of the Chichester Festivities while the autumn concert is included in the Chichester Cathedral Lunchtime Series. The Chichester Singers, under musical director Jonathan Willcocks, perform classical and contemporary works in concert. The Chichester RAJF (From "Real Ale and Jazz Festival"),
2100-718: The City Corporation, had met in Chichester Guildhall . In addition to its own council offices, those of the Chichester District and the West Sussex County Council are located in the city. The City Council consists of eighteen elected members serving five wards of the city – North, South, East, West, and Central. Elections to the City Council last took place on Thursday 5 May 2023. The current makeup of
2170-507: The City Council is shown below - those marked * are also Chichester District Councillors. Chichester is represented in the House of Commons by the Chichester constituency , held since the 2024 General Election by Jess Brown-Fuller . From 1660 to 1868, Chichester returned two members of Parliament , this was reduced to one member by the Reform Act 1867 . The Conservative Party is dominant, with
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2240-646: The Granada Exchange at the Corn Exchange (1922–1980) and the Gaumont on Eastgate Square (1937–1961, later the swimming baths). The Chichester Open Mic has supported regular programmes of readings by contemporary poets in the city since 2010. It also hosts a high-profile annual event under the banner Poetry and All That Jazz which included performances by Don Paterson in 2010, Sam Willetts in 2011, and David Harsent in 2012. In 2012 The Novium , Chichester's museum,
2310-512: The North, South, East and West shopping streets radiate from the central market cross dating from medieval times. The original Roman city wall was over 6 + 1 ⁄ 2 feet (2.0 m) thick with a steep ditch (which was later used to divert the River Lavant ). The lower parts of the existing city walls are Roman, but most of the above-ground work is later. The city was also home to some Roman baths, found down Tower Street when preparation for
2380-463: The Viking threat. This included old Roman settlements where the walls could be rebuilt and strengthened. Chichester was one of these and was rebuilt probably between 878 and 879. The Burghal Hidage is an Anglo-Saxon document that provides a list of over thirty burhs, mainly in the ancient Kingdom of Wessex , and the taxes (recorded as numbers of hides ) assigned for their maintenance. For each five hides
2450-439: The ancient site. To the surprise of archeologists and historians alike, each stage of excavations revealed previously unknown details surrounding the site's vast and complex history. For instance, from 1995 to 1999, the archeologists John Manley and David Rudkin conducted digs that focused on southern portions of the site, which exposed significant evidence of human activity prior to the Roman conquest in 43 AD. Over
2520-571: The area of the nearby Fishbourne Roman Palace . The city centre stands on the foundations of the Romano-British city of Noviomagus Reginorum , capital of the Civitas Reginorum . The Roman road of Stane Street , connecting the city with London, started at the east gate, while the Chichester to Silchester road started from the north gate. The plan of the city is inherited from the Romans:
2590-540: The area together with related industries. A recent government study suggested that the area has a lot of employment with the public sector (as well as within the tourism and leisure industries), with a growing number of self-employed people in the area. The city holds an annual four-week arts and music festival ("Festival of Chichester") held in June and July. Chichester Cathedral has a year-round programme of music, talks and other events, including free lunchtime concerts of classical music. Chichester Festival Theatre ,
2660-531: The attention of the Sussex Archeological Society and triggered the first series of excavations, directed by the archeologist Barry Cunliffe and his team in 1961. Cunliffe's findings from his digs provide the most significant portion of the information associated with the site. In the years following the initial excavations led by Cunliffe, a series of further excavations were conducted, each of which focused on unearthing various other areas of
2730-579: The castle as its administrative centre. In about 1400 Bishop Robert Reed erected a cross in the Market Place. At Christmas 1642 during the First English Civil War , the city was besieged and St Pancras church was destroyed by gunfire. A military presence was established in the city in 1795 with the construction of a depot on land where the Hawkhurst Gang had been hanged. It was named
2800-462: The conquest. Cogidubnus is known from a reference to his loyalty in Tacitus 's Agricola , and from an inscription commemorating a temple dedicated to Neptune and Minerva found in nearby Chichester . Furthermore, around 60 AD, Cogidubnus was granted the prominent title of legatus Augusti , which normally restricted to the statesmen and aristocrats of Rome. Cunliffe correlates this event with
2870-632: The constituency returning a Conservative member at every election since 1868, with the exception of the Liberal Charles Rudkin in 1923 . Between 1812 and 1894 the constituency was represented exclusively by members of the Lennox family . The following people and organisations have received the Freedom of the City of Chichester. The City of Chichester is located on the River Lavant south of its gap through
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2940-500: The construction of a large masonry extension of the palace in 70 AD, which was fitting for an individual of such a high status in order to support his theory. Another theory is that it was built for another native, Sallustius Lucullus , a Roman governor of Britain of the late 1st century who may have been the son of the British prince Adminius . Two inscriptions recording the presence of Lucullus have been found in Chichester and
3010-472: The course of five years, Manley's team of archeologists discovered nearly twelve thousand artifacts, including flint tools that are believed to date back to the Mesolithic period (around 5000–4000 BC) and could indicate the presence of a hunter and gatherer settlement near the present-day location of the Fishbourne palace. However, the most intriguing and significant evidence of pre-Roman human activity at
3080-517: The discovery of the relatively untouched ground floor of a Roman townhouse and outbuilding. The exceptional preservation is due to the fact the site, Priory Park , belonged to a monastery and has never been built upon since Roman times. The legendary foundation of Anglo-Saxon Chichester is described by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle that says that the area was annexed towards the close of the fifth century, by Ælle and his three sons. The city
3150-460: The eastern end of the north wing, probably due to subsidence from underlying earlier infill. New baths were built in the garden and peristyle in front of the east wing and a wall across the garden enclosed the northern half. The north wing was also extensively altered in plan, with four new polychrome mosaics including the Cupid mosaic dating from about 160 AD. Further redevelopment was done at times in
3220-524: The festival up until its final staging, in 2011. Fishbourne Roman Palace Fishbourne Roman Palace or Fishbourne Villa is in the village of Fishbourne , near Chichester in West Sussex . The palace is the largest known Roman residence north of the Alps, and has an unusually early date of 75 AD, around thirty years after the Roman conquest of Britain . Much of the palace has been excavated and
3290-409: The form of a peristyle . The north and east wings each consisted of suites of rooms built around courtyards, with a monumental entrance in the middle of the east wing. In the north-east corner was a huge aisled assembly hall. The west wing contained state rooms, a large ceremonial reception room, and a gallery. The south wing probably contained the owner's private apartments although the north wing has
3360-422: The ground floor, while some of the burnt doors remained standing. There is also evidence of extreme heat that can be found on the tiles, which were discoloured. The fire did not consume the east wing of the palace, although the decision was later made to demolish the baths located in that wing around 290 AD. It is unclear whether the fire was accidental or intentional; however, its destruction correlated with
3430-409: The late third century. The final alterations were incomplete when the north wing was destroyed in a fire c. 270 AD . The accepted theory, first proposed by Barry Cunliffe , is that the early phase of the palace was the residence of Tiberius Claudius Cogidubnus (or Togidubnus), a pro-Roman local chieftain who was installed as king of a number of territories following the first stage of
3500-403: The most elaborate visible mosaics . The palace included as many as 50 excellent mosaic floors, under-floor central heating and an integral bathhouse. The garden was shown to contain elaborate plantings of shaped beds for hedges and trees with water supplies for fountains. In addition the south wing overlooked a vast artificial terrace laid out as a rectangular garden extending 300 ft towards
3570-408: The municipal borough became part of the much larger Chichester District . The City Council was retained but it only has the powers of a parish council ; control of services is largely in the hands of Chichester District Council and West Sussex County Council . The City Council meets in the Council House on North Street, which dates from 1731. Prior to this the City Council, and its predecessor
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#17328557906713640-418: The original owner and was extensively re-modelled early in the 2nd century, and maybe subdivided into two or more separate villas with the addition of a baths suite in the north wing. A remarkable new Medusa mosaic was also laid over an earlier one in the centre of the north wing in about 100 AD. In the middle of the second century AD, further major redesign included demolition of the recent baths suite and
3710-466: The palace burnt down in around 270 AD, after which it was abandoned. The site was accidentally discovered in 1805, during the construction of a new home on the grounds of the ancient Roman ruin. Workers discovered 13-foot-wide (4.0 m) pavement as well as fragments of columns. In the following years, additional remains such as pottery fragments and portions of mosaic tiles were unearthed by local inhabitants who lived within close proximity to
3780-449: The palace was either Verica , a British client king of the Roman Empire in the years preceding the Claudian invasion , or even one Tiberius Claudius Catuarus, whose gold signet ring was discovered nearby in 1995. There is overwhelming evidence that the north wing was completely destroyed in a fire around 270 AD. For instance, some of the rubble from the collapsed roof as well as its tiles and melted fittings were scattered on
3850-427: The palace were completely destroyed and the only thing that remained standing was the palace walls. The damage was too great to repair, and the palace was abandoned and later dismantled. Furthermore, the rising water levels and subsequent flooding in the surrounding area may have also influenced the decision not to restore the structure. Over the course of the following years, the local inhabitants of Chichester raided
3920-531: The palace's proximity to the Fishbourne channel, which provided ships with access to the sea, meant that it could have potentially had its own harbour that received trading ships at one point. The first buildings on the site were granaries , over 33 m (108 ft) long, apparently a supply base for the Roman army constructed in the early part of the conquest in 43 AD. Later, two residential timber-frame buildings were constructed, one with clay and mortar floors and plaster walls which appears to have been
3990-405: The re-dating, by Miles Russell, of the palace to the early 90s AD, would fit far more securely with such an interpretation. If the palace were designed for Lucullus, then it may have only been in use for a few years, for the Roman historian Suetonius records that Lucullus was executed by the delusional emperor Domitian in or shortly after 93 AD. Additional theories suggest that owner of
4060-456: The sea where there was a quay wall. This garden was planted as a "natural" landscape with trees and shrubs, and with a pond and stream. It also had colonnades on at least one side. The decoration of the palace was elaborate, including wall paintings, stucco mouldings and opus sectile , marble polychrome panels, examples of which are in the museum. As in the proto-palace, foreign craftsmen had to be employed at this early period.The palace outlasted
4130-458: The site comes from a ditch containing nearly seven hundred fragments of pottery and a cup that can be traced back to a period within the Late Iron Age . The findings made by Manley and his team challenge Cunliffe's earlier assumptions by suggesting the likely presence of significant human activity at Fishbourne prior to 43 AD. The site of the excavated Roman villa was so large that it became known as Fishbourne Roman Palace. In size, it
4200-418: The site for its building stones, which is why the ground-stone foundations of the walls are the only part of the ancient structure remaining today. The site of the palace was later used as a burial ground during the early Saxon period, which became clear upon the discovery of four corpses within the foundation of the ancient ruin. During the Medieval period, the palace lay below several feet of built-up soil and
4270-426: The site. However, the locals were unable to conceive the fact that the findings were part of a larger unknown structure that remained below the surface. It wasn't until 1960, that Aubrey Barrett, an engineer working for the Portsmouth Water Company, discovered the foundations of a “masonry building” located north of the main road while digging a trench for a water main. This rediscovery of the ancient structure caught
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#17328557906714340-430: The title Earl of Arundel (also known as the Earl of Sussex until that title fell out of use) was created and became the dominant local landowner. In 1216, Chichester Castle, along with Reigate Castle , was captured by the French , but regained the following year, when the castle was ordered to be destroyed by the king. Between 1250 and 1262, the Rape of Chichester was created from the western half of Arundel rape, with
4410-475: The town was expected to provide one fully armed soldier in the king's service, and one man from every hide was to be liable to do garrison duty for the burhs and to help in their initial construction and upkeep. Chichester was one of the larger burhs and was rated at 1500 hides. The system was supported by a communication network based on hilltop beacons to provide early warning. It has been suggested that one such link ran from Chichester to London . Following
4480-491: The whole of the Roman town, and includes many Grade I and II listed buildings . Further to the north lies the separate conservation area around the former Graylingwell Hospital , and to the south, the Chichester Conservation Area has been extended recently to include the newly restored canal basin and part of Chichester Canal itself. The Conservation Area has been split into eight 'character' areas, based on historic development, building type, uses and activities. Chichester has
4550-513: Was a four-day festival of music and real ale held each July in tents beside the 13th century Guildhall in Priory Park. Founded in 1980 by members of Chichester Hockey Club as a fund-raising event, the festival's early years focused on traditional jazz and featured performers such as Kenny Ball , Humphrey Lyttelton and Kenny Baker . In the 1990s blues and R&B were introduced and acts including Status Quo , Blondie , Boney M , Howard Jones , Go West , The Pretenders and Simple Minds played
4620-409: Was a mill named Kings Mill that would have been rented to local slaves and villeins . After the Battle of Hastings the township of Chichester was handed to Roger de Mongomerie, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury , for courageous efforts in the battle, but it was forfeited in 1104 by the 3rd Earl. Shortly after 1066 Chichester Castle was built by Roger de Mongomerie to consolidate Norman power. In around 1143
4690-400: Was converted for use as a Joint Cadet Centre and began to host a detachment of the Sussex Army Cadet Force (No. 7 Chichester Detachment). Chichester 50°50′11″N 0°46′45″W / 50.8365°N 0.7792°W / 50.8365; -0.7792 Chichester ( / ˈ tʃ ɪ tʃ ɪ s t ər / CHITCH -ist-ər ) is a cathedral city and civil parish in
4760-524: Was forgotten about until its re-discovery in the 19th century. A museum was erected over the excavated palace by the Sussex Archaeological Society , in order to protect and preserve some of the remains in situ . The museum incorporates most of the visible remains, including one wing of the palace. The gardens were re-planted using authentic plants from the Roman period , including roses, lilies, rosemary, various fruit trees and boxed hedges. A team of volunteers and professional archaeologists are involved in
4830-410: Was opened by author Kate Mosse . Designed by the architect Keith Williams , is approximately 2.4 times the size of the previous museum in Little London. Key highlights are Roman Bath House, Jupiter Stone and Chilgrove Mosaic. In May 2013 Chichester hosted the Chichester Street Art Festival week where international street artists created colourful murals around the city. Chichester is mentioned in
4900-433: Was supposedly renamed after his son, Cissa . It also says that it was the principal city of the Kingdom of Sussex . However, the foundation story is regarded as a myth by historians as there is no archaeological evidence that Chichester was reoccupied after the Romans left until the 9th century. In the 9th century Alfred the Great set about building a system of fortified towns or forts, known as burhs , in response to
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