Crawley
Encyclopedia : C : CR : CRA : Crawley
- For other uses, see Crawley (disambiguation)}}}.
| Borough of Crawley | |
|---|---|
 Shown within West Sussex | |
| Geography | |
| Status: | Borough |
| Region: | South East England |
| Admin. County: | West Sussex |
| Area: - Total | Ranked 308th 44.97 km² |
| Admin. HQ: | Crawley |
| ONS code: | 45UE |
| Demographics | |
| Population: - Total () - Density | Ranked
Crawley is a town and local government district in West Sussex, England. It covers an area of 44.97 km² and has a population of 99,744 people (2001 census). It is bordered by the Sussex Local Authorities of Mid Sussex and Horsham Districts; and by the Surrey authorities of Mole Valley and Tandridge Districts, and the Borough of Reigate & Banstead.
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AdministrationThe town is an unparished borough, a two-tier area, also coming under the remit of West Sussex County Council. It encompasses the original West Sussex parishes of Ifield and part of Worth. The borough is divided into fifteen wards for local government purposes.HistoryThe area now known as Crawley was peopled by Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age settlers, as remains show. During the Roman times the iron industry flourished. The Saxons first named the settlement craw leah (crow infested clearing); both Ifield and Worth are mentioned in the Domesday Book; Worth church is Saxon. A weekly market charter was granted in 1203. Crawley's position on the turnpike to Brighton helped to boost its population. It was, however, the coming of the railway in 1848, when the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway opened the line from Three Bridges on the line to Brighton to Horsham railway station that started the real town growth. Some 900 houses were added between the two world wars, bringing to population to around 10,000 people by World War II, mainly clustered around the main London to Brighton road (by then the A23). Other local developments included the opening of Gatwick Racecourse in 1891; and an aerodrome, later to become Gatwick Airport, opened in the 1930s. Ifield railway station was opened in 1907. Second World WarCrawley area was considered far enough away from London to be a safe place, a few children and some businesses moved into the town. Later in the war Crawley suffered only two fatal attacks:
Development as a In 1947, Crawley was designated as a New Town area under the New Towns Act of 1946. Its development then ballooned during the 1950s and 1960s, bringing it to a population of around 60,000. Crawley New Town was based around three communities: Crawley itself, Ifield and Three Bridges. The Act allowed expansion as required: and since its beginnings, the town has continued to grow, incorporating neighbouring settlements. Six square kilometres were added in 1983; and a further neighbourhood to the north-east of the town is planned.During the boom of the 1980s the town boasted the lowest level of unemployment in the UK. StructureCrawley's 13 neighbourhoods are as follows:
Local attractions, culture, and facilities
Famous residents
Transport linksA large influence on the town's recent development has been the nearby international airport, London Gatwick, which is contained within the borough's boundaries. The airport is now the busiest single-runway airport in the world, and the sixth busiest overall. Crawley also has 3 railway stations; Crawley, Three Bridges, and Ifield. Crawley is located on the southern end of the M23 motorway, which bypasses the town. The M23 motorway ends just to the south of Crawley near Pease Pottage Service station.Fastway bus projectSee main article: Crawley FastwayA new guided bus public transport service linking parts of Crawley to Gatwick Airport. See alsoLocal Towns & Villages: Elsewhere:
External links
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