Crypt mention refuels tunnels rumours

Reports of an ancient crypt, hidden below another, may hold answers to the mystery of secret tunnels under the city of Chichester.

Rumours of the network of secret tunnels under the city have surfaced time and time again.

A brief mention of another ancient crypt in a book written nearly 200 years ago may provide at least some answers to the mystery.

Chichester Guide was written by Richard Dalley in 1831 and tells the tale of various antiquities across the city.

One chapter describes ‘an ancient crypt’, one we know today as The Buttery café in South Street, but mentioned among the dated text is a claim that even staff at the café today were unaware of.

“The walls and stile of architecture of this superstructure are very old, but not of so ancient a date as the crypt underneath,” wrote Richard Dalley, in an extract describing the appearance of the building.

The claim links up with the memories of a Chichester woman who recalled a visit to the 12th century building as a teen.

In March last year, 82-yearold Maureen Williams spoke out about a school trip into the rumoured tunnels when she was at Chichester High School for Girls.

She remembered visiting a tunnel under the crypt which stretched out under South Street and said it was ‘miserable down there’.

Four doors down from The Buttery is Hansford’s Menswear which is also home to a curious tunnel.

Owner Matthew Hansford has previously described a blocked-off passage in the cellar of the shop, which he believes may have led to the cathedral.

Despite the prolific rumours of the tunnels, which are said to be different from the culverts of the river Lavant, archaeology officer at Chichester District Council, James Kenny, cast doubt on the claims last year.

He has been working in the city since 1983 and has said in all his years of digging in the city, he was sure he would have come across evidence of their existence.

He told this newspaper: “I have also been in lots of basements in the city when I have been invited down to have a look at it.

“It’s common to have a blocked doorway as cellars are built with relieving archways that look like [blocked up tunnels] but they are not.

“Often they are just a loading chute and not just under pubs.”