After 105 years absence, it was an emotional moment to see a brewery dray enter the Brewery Field that Sunday in August 2017, as two magnificent shire horses, Pride and Griffin, were driven in by John Medhurst, their driver for the past 28 years.
Driver John Medhurst and Cllr Peter Jones, then Mayor of Chichester
Continue reading The Brewery Field: Community Open Day, 20 August 2017(as of August 2017)
There was some disquiet after the opening of the field in August 2017, to see that a rather sculptural – but dead – tree on the Western edge of the field had been felled. The Brewery Field had recently been added to the Chichester Conservation Area. Therefore all the trees were protected and none could be removed without planning permission. We can report that, after due process, that particular tree was removed for safety reasons.
Continue reading Inventory of the Brewery Field TreesMost residents are familiar with our winterbourne, the River Lavant. Winterbourne because it is a seasonal stream that comes down from the Downs, filtered out of the chalk after the Winter rains.
Continue reading Hidden Westgate Histories 4: The Westgate LavantThe History
This field was part of the Westgate Brewery which produced beer for many inns and pubs across Sussex and East Hampshire from 1751 until it closed in 1954.
In 1827 it was taken over by the Henty family who went into partnership with George Constable in 1921. The brewery had been rebuilt in 1811 to become the largest in Chichester.
Residents will probably know by now that the Field behind the County Record Office in Orchard Street has been taken over by Chichester City Council on a 25-year lease from the County Council for the use and enjoyment of all. It is very unusual these days to be able to organise the birth and activities of a new park in a City, particularly one in a conservation area and so close to the City Centre.
Continue reading Opening of The Brewery Field – June 2016 (updated)
On 11th March 2016 the Field Steering Committee officers had a meeting in the field with Mikey Pearce of Forest Schools, and Sue Long, the CDC Community Warden for Chichester West.
Following a very successful public meeting at the end of 2015, the three RAs who would benefit most from the use of The Brewery (Henty) Field formed a steering committee to launch a Friends’ group at the request of the City Council. The City and County Councils had made it clear that if this resource was not used sufficiently then it would be taken back by the County Council and perhaps built upon.
