Chichester

Chichester is a famous cathedral city in West Sussex, in the South-Eastern part of England. It had a long history as a settlement from Roman times and was significant in Anglo-Saxon times. It is the bishopric’ seat and is home to some of the oldest building and churches in Great Britain.

History                                                                                        

Roman period

The area around Chichester is believed to have played a significant part during the Roman Invasion of A.D 43, as confirmed by the proof of military storage structures in the region of the nearby Fishbourne Roman Palace. The city’s plan is taken from the Romans: the North, East, South, and West shopping streets start from the central market cross from historical times.

Governance

Chichester has the status of a city and is one of seven so designated, the others being Ripon, Ely, Hereford, Truro, Salisbury,  and Wells. The City Council contains twenty elected members serving four wards of the city – North, South, East, and West.

Chichester Council House located on North Street dates from 1731; before this, the City Corporation had met in Chichester Guildhall. In addition to its council offices, those of the Chichester District and the West Sussex County Council are located in the City.

Transport

The A27 links Chichester to the M3, M275 and M27 motorways. The secondary coastal road, the A259, which starts its journey at Folkestone in Kent, links the A27 here and ends at Havant in the west. Both of these roads make east-west connections.