Coast and Countryside
...places to visit
Chichester, standing between the South Downs and the sea, combines the pleasures of both. Its busy yachting harbour and countryside reflect the seafaring and agricultural past of the town.
There are many picturesque villages to discover. Lavant, about two miles to the north, comprises the villages of Mid Lavant and East Lavant, which take their names from the river, an intermittent chalk stream that rises at East Dean and flows down towards Chichester through a most delightful valley. East Lavant has plenty of old cottages to see, and a traditional pub.
For the energetic, there is an incline to St Roche's Hill, 677 feet, known locally as The Trundle, this being the name originally given to the embankments of an Iron Age fortress around the crown of the hill. Dating from about 2000 BC, these enclosed a tribal city that was a forerunner of Chichester. There are spectacular panoramic views from here and, on
a clear day, not only of Chichester and the surrounding area, but even to the Isle of Wight. It also immediately overlooks Goodwood Racecourse, and is a perfect place for a picnic on a summer's day. |