Photos from the Archive — by John Ascoli
Looking in the opposite direction towards Dell Quay , note the brick and stone outer entrance to the lock . The area of water in the top right hand side of the picture leas into Salterns Marsh . On these salt marshes were found the remains of an ancient mill and several cottages .
The ' Observer and West Sussex Recorder ' of 9th September 1925 in its account of the death of Alderman Fowler of Chichester , quoted from his journals that his family had moved to Appledram in about 1640 from the West of England to manufacture salt near the entrance to the canal .
In 1935 , the Farne family sold the Mill , Court Barn and all its land to Captain H . R . S . Coldicott , who founded Birdham Estates Limited . Within a year Captain Coldicott was advertising houses for sale in the ' West Sussex Gazette ' for £ 975 .
The potential of the mill pond was also soon realised and in 1937 extensive dredging operations were carried out , as can be seen from this snapshot .
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