In Sussex dialect a ‘Lavant´ is a winterbourne, which means it only flows during the winter. In C15th documents in the West Sussex Records Office it is also spelt as ‘Louente’ and ‘Lavent’. Most rivers start from a ‘spring’ and gather water from tributaries as they flow downhill. The Lavant river is different. Its water… Continue reading The Lavant River
Tag: The Tannery
History of The Tannery (61-65 Westgate)
Residents The Undershill family, who turned out to be tanners, are first recorded in the parish in 1526 when they acquire the share of a lease of 20 acres of land with a house. John Undershill is the earliest documented reference to tanning in St. Bartholomew’s when, in 1549, he witnesses the will of John Parker… Continue reading History of The Tannery (61-65 Westgate)
Hidden Westgate Histories 4: The Westgate Lavant
Most 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. Most of us are familiar with its current course on the West side: emerging from the City from underneath the Fountain public house… Continue reading Hidden Westgate Histories 4: The Westgate Lavant
Industrial Westgate
The Shape of Old Westgate
We are grateful to John Davies at no. 31 for the following article on the heritage part our streetscape, using earlier research done by the late Dr Latchman which has been passed on to him. The”shape” of Westgate from the old gate through to Parklands Road When faced with a simple continuing list of properties and… Continue reading The Shape of Old Westgate
Chichester & St Bart’s: The Early Settlement
The extent of Chichester has altered at various times. The settlement was first established as a winter fort for the Second Augustan Legion under Vespasian (the future emperor) shortly after the Roman invasion in AD 43. Like all Roman walled towns, Noviomagus Reginorum was divided into four quarters by two main roads or streets crossing… Continue reading Chichester & St Bart’s: The Early Settlement
Medieval Westgate
Image courtesy of Chichester Web. This article forms the third in a series on the archaeology of Westgate and is adapted with their permission from an archaeological desk-based assessment prepared by SLR Consulting Ltd on behalf of Chichester College in 2013. The numbers on the map refer to objects mentioned in the text below that… Continue reading Medieval Westgate