Crawley, West Sussex
Crawley offers a quiet haven just outside the capital city, situated almost equidistantly between London and Brighton – making it an especially desirable location for visitors of all kinds. Although it is relatively new, it is already a large town growing year on year thanks to an influx of commuters looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city centre.
Impressive facilities and amenities and a vibrant shopping scene have developed quickly. At its lively core the County Mall Shopping Centre offers a selection of high street brands and local independent stores, alongside cafes, bars and restaurants ready and waiting should you feel like a bite to eat. The multiplex cinema and bowling alley at Crawley Leisure Park and concert space The Hawth provide ample entertainment opportunities alongside the town’s Crawley FC. Despite its infancy as an important town Crawley has an interesting history all of its own – it is thought to have been inhabited as early as the Bronze Age.
On the outskirts there are grand country manors and stunning countryside to explore – notably the magnificent country estate Wakehurst Place with its botanic gardens, Tilgate Park, Buchan Country Park, Nymans (a pretty ruined house and gardens owned by the National Trust) and Worth Park Gardens. The British Wildlife Centre celebrates and protects some of our most beautiful native wildlife, including rare species such as red squirrels. Crawley also lies south of the picturesque Surrey Hills – an area of Oustanding Natural Beauty.
Transport links to the town are abundant thanks to its fantastic location - 28 miles from London’s Charing Cross and 18 miles from Brighton and Hove. Trains run to the capital and down to the south coast each day. London Gatwick Airport is also just a stone’s throw away – just 15 minutes by car.