Crawley Shops Town Theatre Parks Mall Leisure Centre West Sussex UK

Crawley History, Tourist Information & Shops

One of the famous post-war New Towns, Crawley today has moved along with the times and contains some of the best leisure and entertainment facilities in the south as well as being a hotspot for shopping. The Crawley Town Walk and Neighbourhood Trail, which takes around 30 minutes, highlights many heritage buildings and famous sites which date well before its New Town roots. Evidence of Iron Age forts have been discovered around the Broadfield, Bewbush and Southgate areas and Crawley's very name comes from the Anglo-Saxon crawe leah meaning a 'crow infested clearing'. The name Crawley was first used from 1316 and the local iron industry coupled with its preference as resting place en-route to the Prince Regent's haunt Brighton saw continuous growth in the town through the Victorian period. Gatwick Racecourse which first opened in 1891 situated on the site which is now Gatwick Airport also brought many visitors to the town.

As increasing historical interest centres around the 20th century World Wars and the post war period in Britain, the eight New Towns of which Crawley was one are receiving much historical interest. The original eight New Towns around London, developed specifically to solve London's overcrowding problem and provide employment, green space and better housing, included Crawley, Basildon, Harlow, Hatfield, Hemel Hempstead, Bracknell, Stevenage and Welwyn Garden City. This promised security in the New Towns was a blessing to many Londoners in the post war period. Crawley was perfect New Town material with its excellent transport links and undeveloped farmland. By the 1960s Crawley's population had grown to around 60,000. Today the town has a population of around 100,000. For more detail on Crawley's fascinating history from the neolithic age through to New Town and current thriving entertainment centre see Crawley Borough Council's excellent history guides.

With its huge choice of shops covering the full range from fashion and accessories to the mammoth central County Mall Shopping centre with over 90 stores (extensive parking with tariff is on-site), Crawley is a West Sussex centre for shopping. Crawley's High Street has seen a recent thorough makeover which has attracted a wealth of new bars, clubs and restaurants to the centre. The central area of Crawley town centre around High Street, Queensway, The Broadway and Queens Square is brimming with shops including all your well known high street fashion names, department stores and a choice of select jewellery, gift and beauty stores. A choice of parking areas are situated around the Queens Square and County Mall area and find major department stores like Debenhams within County Mall as well as a choice of cafes and restaurants. For a detailed guide to Crawley shopping including full store listings see the Visit Crawley and County Mall webguides.

Crawley Information Desk within County Mall Shopping Centre, off Queens Square, Crawley. Tel. 01293 846968. County Mall Shopping Centre, Crawley Sussex RH10 1FD. Tel. 01293 611975. Open Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm with late night shopping til 8pm on Thursdays. Sunday 11am to 5pm.

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K2 Leisure Centre & Crawley Leisure Park

Operated by DC Leisure, Crawley's K2 Leisure Centre epitomises a modern state of the art leisure centre. Facilities include a 50 metre swimming pool, a 12 metre climbing wall and a cutting edge fitness centre. The pool features moving floors for deep diving sessions and the climbing wall is a real challenge.

Other on-site facilities include a 12 court multi purpose sports hall which is sometimes used for events and concerts, a teaching pool and leisure pool, sauna and steam room, indoor bowls rinks, squash courts, a creche area, dance studios, treatment rooms, cafeteria and bar area, a turf pitch and an 8 lane athletics facility. Free car parking is also on-site. K2 Crawley, Pease Pottage Hill, Crawley RH11 9BQ. Tel. 01293 585300. See Crawley Borough Council's webguide for the K2 Leisure Centre for details on facilities, parking, opening times and location. Buses (no.2) run regularly from Crawley Town Centre to K2 situated just south of Crawley town centre and conveniently close to Junction 11 of the M23 motorway.

Crawley Leisure Park on the central London Road has a 15 screen Cineworld Cinema and Hollywood Bowl on-site plus a choice of restaurants and fast food outlets including Pizza Hut, Macdonalds and a TGI Fridays. Cineworld Cinema Crawley Leisure Park, London Road, Crawley RH10 8LR. Tel. 0871 200 2000 for advanced booking or book online via Cineworld's website.

Hollywood Bowl Crawley, Crawley Leisure Park, London Road, Crawley RH10 8LR. Tel. 01293 521 999. With 26 lanes open daily 10am til 1am

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Tilgate Park, Nature Centre & Golf Crawley

Crawley's central Tilgate Park covering 400 acres and with on-site nature centre and golf course is a Green Flag Award winner. The lakes within Tilgate Park are often the site for events through the year including Dragon Boat racing. Tilgate Park and Forest is the largest of Crawley's many green space areas, all linked by the Crawley Greenway circular route running for 15 miles around the town through woodland and open landscapes. This circular route is popular with cyclists, walkers and joggers.

Other Crawley Parks alongside Tilgate linked by the circular route include Bewbush Water Gardens and Ifield Mill, Broadfield Park, Goffs Park, Memorial Gardens in the heart of the town centre, Worth Park Gardens and West Green Park. All are within easy reach of Crawley town centre and details are via the Crawley Borough Council webguide.

Tilgate Park and Nature Centre was voted number one children's attraction in Sussex by Evening Argus readers! The nature centre is open all year round and includes a Discovery Room with GreenZone and biodiversity displays and a large collection of animals including ponies, goats, sheep and rabbits. Educational activities are numerous, this is a most popular centre with children, and wildlife within the park includes deer, red squirrels, owls and more - even tarantulas! A walled garden, part of the original estate, and a cafe are situated within the park as well as ample picnic tables, a maze and craft units located between the Walled Garden and Nature Centre. Here you can purchase crafts such as pottery, soft furnishings and glass art all made by local craftspeople.

Tilgate Park, Titmus Drive, Tilgate, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 5PQ. 01293 521168.

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The Hawth Theatre Crawley

Crawley's Hawth Theatre is one of the South's most acclaimed arts venues including the large Hawth main theatre and smaller studio. A mix of theatre, dance, concerts, film, visual arts, music and comedy are included in the theatre's year round programme. Relatively new, the Hawth Crawley first opened in 1988 and is set within a pretty 38 acre wooded site. The theatre is well signposted from Crawley town centre and sits on the outskirts. (see a comprehensive map with directions via the Hawth Theatre webguide). Extensive parking for around 250 cars adjacent.

Owned and funded by Crawley Borough Council, The Hawth sees regular Broadway and West End shows as well as a choice of contemporary theatre and an eclectic mix of music including blues, jazz and world music. With stong links to community events and with a reputation for innovative new theatre, a night out at the Hawth is not to be missed. See the Hawth's weblink right for forthcoming shows and events plus online booking.

Hawth Theatre, Hawth Avenue, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 6YZ. Box Office Tel. 01293 553636.

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