Friends of Centurion Way

Thursday the 12thof March 2026 saw the successful installation of Peter Clutterbuck’s Bespoke Ironwork Craft Bench on Centurion Way.

Julia Smith, secretary of FoCW, produced the following excellent press release detailing many key facets of the community project.

PRESS RELEASE
FRIENDS OF CENTURION WAY

Local Community Group, Friends of Centurion Way (FOCW) have hit another milestone in their ambition to enhance the southern end of this wonderful 9km walking/cycling path along the disused railway from Chichester north into the National Park. The path has recently been extended north by the South Downs National Park Authority from West Dean to Singleton with the restoration of the Singleton station platform and there are plans to extend the route all the way to Midhurst and the South Downs Way.

Project Leaders Carley Sitwell (pictured) and Julia Smith (pictured) recapped that “FOCW first formed to save the southern end of this wonderful path and artwork from decay, decline and diversion from new housing.

We ran a 5-year campaign to reinstate its finest artwork – the Gateway arch at its southern end – and to fund two information boards (at the arch and up at the amphitheatre).

The arch stands at a natural meeting point by the railway bridge over to Fishbourne, and marks the crossing point of three cycleways

• Centurion Way to the north
• Salterns Way to the South
• and Chichester/ Emsworth NCN 2.

The arch was reinstated in March 2025, reimagined by Southsea blacksmith, Peter Clutterbuck, and the information boards were added soon thereafter.”

With general funds and a successful Easyfundraising campaign, FOCW were able to commission and install a metal bench to serve as a resting point at the arch. FOCW commissioned Peter Clutterbuck again to design and build a bench to the brief of working CW into its back and sides, wrought into powder-coated iron. The City Council helped with the licence and installation and FOCW are delighted that the bench is now in place, and already being used by passers-by.

Hopefully the combination of arch, noticeboard and bench, enhanced by some future plans to plant wildflowers and bulbs, will protect the start of this path from redevelopment or urbanisation, and make it a great jumping-off point or resting spot on a walk/cycle from the City to the Downs.

Ian Swann, Chair summarised that “The benefits of enhancing the arch area with an information board and bench are evident: it creates a visually pleasing landmark and a a statement piece contributing to Chichester’s well-established reputation for public art. Centurion Way has a real place in the community and a daily impact on the many people – residents, clubs and tourists – who use the path for commuting, leisure, pleasure and mental health and wellbeing. We are really grateful to the sponsors, City Council and local residents’ association who gave us so much encouragement to make this happen.

There is also a voluntary Centurion Way Users Group, that meets regularly to undertake path maintenance, cutting back hedgerows and taking out overgrowth to keep the path at full width. It’s a sociable, easy way to do something useful in the outdoors and to make a difference. For more information, please contact FOCW who will put you in touch.

Additional images of the bench taken on the day of its installation are shown below.

The South Downs National Park Authority are opening a new route through to Singleton Station and beyond to Cucumber Hill.

Please follow this “Full Seam Ahead” link to navigate to the official South Downs National Park Authority introduction to their event.

On the weekend of the 23^rd and 24^th August from 10am to 2pm, a small team from the National Park will be based at Singleton Station. They will be able to answer any questions and share ideas for days-out in the area and onward connections with the rights of way network.

Please be aware that there is no car parking at the Singleton Station site and people are encouraged to walk, cycle or use public transport. The 60 Bus Route runs regular services with stops nearby along the A286.

To find Singleton station, Ian Swann (Chair of FoCW) advises:

• Opposite the main West Dean College entrance (with grand wrought iron gates) is a “Biomass Boiler” and entrance to the Scout Hut.
• From here you can join the former rail bed and then cycle onward to Singleton Station.

The Google map shown below is for reference only, just to show where Singleton Station is located.
Currently, the Google map direction algorithm is giving incorrect guidance and leading people astray from reaching the station.
However, the Google map below does show the correct location but it is best to follow Ian’s written advice above on how to reach the station safely.

For more information see the link below to the official South Downs National Park webpage about the project.

Centurion Way Extension Project – Frequently Asked Questions – South Downs National Park Authority

FoCW will hold an invitation only official opening of the reinstated archway that will take place on the 20th August 2025. Afterwards, South Downs National Park Authority will hold another invitation only opening event. This will be for the Centurion Way route extension to Singleton Station and beyond.

Ian Swann (Chairman of FoCW) provides the following details about these events:

Dear Friends and Supporters,

We are honoured to welcome the Mayor of Chichester, Sean McHale and the Mayoress to celebrate the formal opening of the Centurion Way Arch at 10:30 on August 20th 2025.

• The Arch is situated on Centurion Way just to the north of the rail crossing bridge near Bishop Luffa School

Following the Arch opening we welcome all invitees to ride with us (or make their way on foot or by bus etc.) to the “Biomass Boiler” / Scout Hut entrance opposite the main West Dean College entrance (with grand wrought iron gates).

• From here we will join the former rail bed and cycle onward to Singleton Station for 12:45 for the official opening ceremony and ribbon cutting by the Deputy Lieutenant of West Sussex when we will ride through.

Plan:

• 10:15 Muster at Arch Aug 20
• 10:30 Ribbon cut (Mayor Sean McHale)
• 10:45 Depart for West Dean – Group ride
• 11:50 lunch (bring sandwiches or: WD café, Selsey Arms, WD College Café, Weald & Downland café, Partridge pub)

o            Multiple options for taste / prevention of overload of one venue

• 12:30 depart from lunch
• 12:45 Singleton Station for ride through and light refreshments

o            Access West Dean via biomass boiler / scout hut drive (opposite West Dean College main entrance)

Yours sincerely

Ian Swann (Chair)

 

The Arch is now restored near to Bishop Luffa School with an exotic new livery emphasising the sculptures!

The team from Peter Clutterbuck Blacksmiths and Balfour Beatty started at just after 8 o’clock today, March 13th 2025, and erected the refurbished sculpture and structure with minimal disruption.  Tomorrow should see the final concrete and soil infilled to complete the process.

View of The Arch looking north:  showing the new joining bracket with the reinstallation date of 2025 facing south and the original 1995 installation date facing north

Carley Sitwell and Sarah Sharp eagerly watched the installation progress. They both spoke on camera in the following two videos. There was a lot of construction noise in the first location so we made a second recording taken further South on the path. Both videos are included below. They both cover the similar points but with less background noise in the second recording.

Centurion Way Gateway Arch Restoration and Installation Take1

Centurion Way Gateway Arch Restoration and Installation Take2

Images of the installation work in progress are available in the following gallery.

1 2 ►

Last week brought panic and a flurry of activity. Indeed, concerns from WSCC, lamp-post companies and also with issues of excessive cutting of nearby tree roots, caused doubts that the project could proceed at all.

Julia Smith and Carley Sitwell have now skilfully negotiated an alternative site, about 50 meters further North along the path, where the restored Archway can be installed.

This alternative location appears to keeps everyone happy – Bishop Luffa school, Miller-Linden developers, WSCC, Balfour Beatty and tree wardens. It’s in a clearing where the sun shines down! It really looks a good location!!

The Archway project also benefits from Chichester City Council kindly granting an additional £900 funding.

The new location is already being excavated in readiness for installation of the footings.

Carley has recently visited Peter Clutterbuck’s forge in Southsea and met with the SDNPA.

Julia Smith describes progress as “Exciting!!”.

WSCC and the lamp-post companies have decided the archway can no longer be reinstated in its original position. The concern seems to be about space needed to maintain the lamps (presumably changing the bulbs) and potential damage to the lighting cables when installing the new footings.

In addition, excavations around the remaining “archway boot” on Bishop Luffa’s land, reveal there is too much embedded concrete to contend with and too many tree roots to cut. It also seems impossible to reinstate the archway in its original position without dangerously weakening the surrounding tree roots.

As all our plans to reinstate the Archway hinge on us having obtained planning permission to re-erect the arch in its original position, it looks doubtful the project can proceed.

This is a disaster as Southsea blacksmith Peter Clutterbuck has almost finished his work reconstructing and rebuilding the arch.

We are now considering if the newly restored Archway could instead be erected in Carley Sitwell or Julia Smith’s garden because we now lack permission for it to be installed on a public site.

Work has started today on the footings for the renovated Centurion Way arch at the railway bridge with our WSCC appointed contractors. It has taken five years of work and fundraising to get to this point. Super exciting! The concrete footings will take three weeks to set and so we are on track to get the arch restored, gilded and back up in March. In conjunction with the South Downs National Park, plans for an information board are in progress and will follow.

We are still fundraising so if you can support please donate via GoFundMe at https://gofund.me/c039016c