Proposals for a canal linking Chichester directly to the sea go back as least as far as 1585 when an act of Parliament[which?]

With the reason for its construction removed, the canal was not a commercial success, and apart from the Chichester section, it had fallen into disuse by 1847.

[8] In November of that year the City Surveyor gave a figure of £1,000 to put the canal back into full working order; key tasks were repair of locks, bridges and the removal of weeds and mud from the channel.

[11] In 1932 the section of the canal between Cutfield Bridge and Salterns lock was reopened to allow yachts to be berthed there.

[13] In Britain in World War II the canal towpath was made an anti-tank and anti-barge route by the 4th Infantry Division (United Kingdom) to militate against a German invasion.

[14][13] The partial diversion proved hard to control and the fluctuations damaged the canal and a houseboat;[13] argument as to the duty to compensate lasted until June 1947.

[16] The council let plans be known to use part of the canal for road improvement, on opposition and with higher priority issues for funds, these never took place.