Dell Quay

The waterside hamlet south of Fishbourne

Dell Quay is a small waterside settlement at the head of a tidal channel of Chichester Harbour, about a mile south of Fishbourne village. It consists of a handful of houses, the Crown and Anchor pub, a sailing club, and a slipway, and has been a landing place and harbour facility since at least the medieval period.

In its heyday, Dell Quay was the main port serving Chichester. Before the canal was built and before the harbour silted, small trading vessels used the quay to load and unload goods for the city. Corn, timber, and coal passed through Dell Quay, and the settlement was more commercially significant than its present modest size suggests.

Today Dell Quay is valued for its setting rather than its trade. The Crown and Anchor pub sits right on the waterfront and draws visitors from across the area, particularly on fine summer evenings when the harbour is full at high tide. The Dell Quay Sailing Club operates from the shore and runs a programme of dinghy racing through the sailing season.

The walk from Fishbourne to Dell Quay is one of the most pleasant short walks in the area. The route runs south along Appledram Lane and Dell Quay Road, through flat farmland with views of the cathedral spire to the east, before arriving at the waterfront. The return can be varied by following the harbour shore path, though sections can be muddy at high tide.

Parking at Dell Quay is very limited, and the lane down to the waterfront is narrow. Visitors arriving by car should be prepared for tight conditions, particularly at weekends and in summer. Walking or cycling from Fishbourne or Chichester is often the better option.