Discover Crawley, West Sussex

Crawley is a town and borough on the northeastern part of West Sussex, England. It is about 45 km (28 mi) to the south of Charing Cross, London, and 51 km (32 mi) from the West Sussex county town of Chichester. Covering 44.96 sq km (17.36 sq mi), it has a population of 108,000 people (2012 estimate). At the edge of town is Gatwick Airport.

Crawley, West Sussex, England: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Crawley_Housing_-_Victorian_Housing_in_Malthouse_Road,_Southgate.JPG
Author: The Voice of Hassocks


Archaeological excavations have revealed evidence of human activity in the area around Crawley going back to the prehistoric age. There are burial mounds from the Neolithic period and an ancient sword from the Bronze Age.

The name Crawley dates back to the Anglo-Saxon period, to around the 5th century AD. It's name is derived from "crow's leah", meaning a clearing teeming with crows. Its spelling evolved over the centuries, arriving at its present form in the 14th century. Strangely it was not listed in the Domesday Book of 1086, though nearby settlements such as Ifield and Worth were. The first written mention of Crawley was in 1202, on a market charter granted by King John, permitting it to hold a weekly market on Wednesday.

St Nicholas' Church, Worth, Crawley: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:St_Nicholas_Church,_Worth,_West_Sussex_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1821297.jpg
Author: Richard Rogerson


Located approximately midway between London and Brighton worked to Crawley's advantage, helping it develop as a stopover point for stagecoaches. And when Brighton became a popular seaside resort, it helped Crawley develop as well.

Today Crawley has evolved from a manufacturing town to one based on services. It is the headquarters for a number of companies including Virgin Atlantic Airways, Western Geco, Astraeus Airlines and others. Retailers operating in Crawley include Tesco, Sainsbury's, Marks & Spencer, Debenhams, Boots, and WH Smith.

Tilgate Park, Crawley: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tilgate_Park_-_geograph.org.uk_-_402751.jpg
Author: Elliott Simpson

Visiting Crawley

From London, take the A23 road southwards till you arrive in Crawley.

Places of Interest in Crawley

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About this website

Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.