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History of the Chichester Canal
Construction began in 1819, and the canal took three years to build. As part of the Portsmouth & Arundel Navigation, the canal formed the first stage in an important waterway link from Portsmouth to London, via the Wey & Arun Canal and the River Wey. Gunpowder and gold bullion were among the cargoes carried on the canal!
However, the mid-century demise of the Wey & Arun meant that commercial trading on the Chichester Canal lasted less than 100 years, coming to an end in 1906. The canal has since passed through the ownership of Chichester City Council and the Chichester Canal Anglers Association. The current leasors, Chichester Canal Society, took over in 1984 and the canal has continued to flourish.
