More information : (SU86040484 sited from plan auth 2)
Alleged site of Roman forum of Chichester Civitas Capital.
Mr F Cottrill reported the excavation of a site at the corner of West St and Chapel St which revealed an extensive layer of gravel surviving to a thickness of 3ft, possibly the floor of the Forum. Under it on the original surface of the undisturbed brickearth was a pre-Flavian occupation layer (1)
Extension of the Post Office and Telephone Exchange confirmed that the area gravelled was considerable, 3ft of gravel resting on an early-Roman occupation layer; but there was no trace of Forum buildings, which are presumed to lie further east. (2)
No trace (3)
The whereabouts of the forum in Chichester has not yet been established beyond all doubt. A large E-W masonry wall is present at the S end of the cellars in the Dolphin and Anchor which extends below a pavement on the north side of West Street. Works by Southern Gas in 1981 showed a large stylobate and gutter, aligned E-W. These discoveries suggest the presence of a large building under the Dolphin and Anchor which had a south-facing colonnade with a gutter alongside it and another colonnade along the west side, running northwards roughly on the line of Chapel Street. This may be the S part of the Forum. Little is known of the N area but it may be south of Crane Street. (4) |