Chichester City Wall

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Cisseceastre; Ciceastre; Cheechester

In the civil parish of Chichester.
In the historic county of Sussex (Modern Authority of West Sussex, 1974 county of West Sussex).

Wall follows line of Roman wall. Much of wall survives but gatehouse and many bastions are gone. Repairs ordered to roman wall in 1204, first murage granted 1261. Major restorations in 1261 and 1370's. In shape, an irregular polygon: eleven facets. Erected probably before end of C2. Bastions added by mid C4. Traces of Roman work remain both at base of existing wall and in earth ramparts. Medieval and later work (more piecemeal). Rampart promenade built in C18. 4 city gates dismantled between 1772 and 1783.

This site has been described as a;
Urban Defence.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain.
Major remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.
This site is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law*. (Images of England number 299792)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SU8505

Modern Map from Good for landscape form and features	Modern Map from Good for general location
Air Photo from	1st edition OS Map from

Sources of information, references and further reading

PastScape number; 924434

• Web site links
  • http://www.castlestudiesgroup.org.uk/Chchester.PDF
    http://www.walledtowns.com/wtfc/towninfo/england/chichester.html
• Books
  • Woodburn, Bill and Guy, Neil, 2005-6, 'Chichester City Walls' Castle Studies Group Journal Vol 19 p25-7
    Creighton, O.H. and Higham, R.A., 2005, Medieval Town Walls (Stroud: Tempus) p23, 57, 60, 92, 128, 171, 177, 241, 259
    Kenny, J., 2004, 'Chichester City Walls' Past Matters (Chichester District Heritage Annual Report) p22-3
    Jones, R., 2003, 'Hastings to Herstmonceux: the castles of Sussex' in Rudling, D. (ed) The archaeology of Sussex to AD2000 (Great Dunham: Heritage Marketing and Publications) p171-8
    Salter, Mike, 2000, The Castles of Sussex (Malvern) p34
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p248
    Bond, C.J., 1987, 'Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Defences' in Schofield, J. and Leech, R. (eds) Urban Archaeology in Britain (CBA Research Report) p92-116
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p475-6
    Barley, M.W., 1975, 'Town Defences in England and Wales after 1066' in Barley (ed) Medieval Towns in England and Wales (CBA research reports) pp57-71
    Searle, C., 1974, The appearance of the gates in Down, A. (ed) Chichester Excavations, II
    Down, A. and Rule, M., 1971, Chichester Excavations, I
    Turner, H.L., 1971, Town Defences in England and Wales (London) p154-5
    Wilson, A.E., 1957, The Archaeology of Chichester City Walls (Chichester: The Chichester Papers No6)
    Salzman, L.F. (ed), 1935, VCH Sussex Vol3 p9-12, 71-3, 82-90
    Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co) p207-8
    Clinch, 1905, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Sussex Vol1 p471
• Journal Articles
  • Wilson, A.E., 1962, Sussex Archaeological Collections Vol100 p75-9
    Holmes, 1962, Sussex Archaeological Collections Vol100 p80-92
    1960, Journal of Roman Studies Vol50 p233-4
    Salzman, L.F., 1935, 'Chichester Walls' Archaeological Journal Vol92 p384-5
    Hannah, 1934, Sussex Archaeological Collections Vol75 p108-27
    Hills, 1886, Journal of the British Archaeological Association Vol42 p126-36
• Guidebooks
  • Anon, n.d., Chichester Walls Walk (Chichester: Chichester Walls Walk Trust)
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/barkseng.html#sussex3]