It can be confusing trying to sort out what building belongs where when confronted with the results of the demolitions at the famous pinch point where Westgate used to begin.
In this photograph you can see how the road narrowed, with a large property blocking half the road. The Castle Inn on the left side of the street (today’s Chichester Inn) was, as it is today, the last building in West Street before you entered the mouth of Westgate proper.
The large building taking up half the left hand pavement beyond is the White Horse Inn, demolished in 1963 to make way for the Avenue de Chartres ring road.
The Old Cottage
Occupants of old No.1 from documentary evidence:
1900: Richard Harris, Bootmaker
1910 & 1920: Hooker, Cycle repairer and tobacconist
1929, 1933, 1935, 1950, 1854: Charles Walter Hooker (Charlie), Confectioner
1966: D.M. Hooker, Confectioner
1974 ‘Talk of the Town Dogs Beauty Parlour’
Hariss’ shoemakers in about 1900 (Chichester in old Photographs collected by Rob Harmer.)
This photograph looks the other way to the one above, eastwards, and shows Harriss’ shoemakers to the right in about 1900. The remains of the city wall, with its stone pillar and pintle of a hinge, can be seen just beyond Harris’s and is still there today.
Hooker’s Shop pre-60s – Collection Ken Green
This building was later to become Charlie Hooker’s sweet shop and is now an Indian Restaurant.
D M Hooker’s shop 1963, now the Old Cottage Indian Restaurant (Collection Ken Green, photo Banks)
Charlie Hooker advertised this building as “Ye Olde Toll House”, although this is disputed and it is now known as the Old Cottage, which is perhaps a safer bet – except it could just as easily been the outbuildings or stables of the White Horse Inn next door when you think about it. To the left, this photo contains another view of the pillar of the old gate.
Maybe this was the first Toll House on the Portsmouth Road as it left Chichester, but moved to the Fishbourne Road on the opposite of the railway, when the level crossing was installed in 1846. But we will never know.
Hooker’s Shop looking along Westgate August 1963 (Collection Ken Green)
Here the city wall is clearly visible, and the advertising board is standing against the remains of the old gatepost of the West Gate. The building beyond is the White Horse Inn (demolished in 1963).