The Cattle Market

Since the Roman period, Chichester had been a centre for the buying and selling of livestock, and from Medieval times the "beast market" was held in the streets. By Victorian times livestock sales filled North Street, East Street and sometimes West Street as well.

But the beast market was causing problems for city centre shops, as observed by Charles Swainson in 1866: "Two streets that lead to the cross are absolutely impassable. The cattle and sheep and pigs stand in their own filth for so many hours that they leave marks behind on the pavement...and thus it is a fact that better dressed people avoid Chichester...the working days of our shops are reduced...no wonder that Chichester is dull."

That view caused a rethink over the way livestock was sold in the city and in 1870 work was started building the new cattle market to the south-east of the city.

As livestock markets moved from the city centre, many auctioneers set up on new sites. In Chichester there were three main auction companies:

Stride and Son was formed in 1890 and specialised in cattle and sheep. Wyatt's formed in 1870 (now Henry Adams) sold pigs and poultry. Hobgens was also established in the 1870s and sold all livestock. All three had offices in East Street.