History and Heritage

Crawley has a rich and interesting history, something that may come as a surprise to those who know it best as New Town. But Crawley wasn’t entirely created after the war, as these pages will show you.

We welcome any contributions to these pages. If you have an interest in local history and would like to share it, please contact us.

Take a Walk Through Time

Crawley Art Council have produced a leaflet with details of a 30 minute town centre stroll which takes in points of historical and artistic interest in the town and also a broader neighbourhood trail which focuses on the points of interest and the rich heritage that can be found in Crawley’s various neighbourhoods. Click on the link for a copy of the Crawley Town Walk and Neighbourhood Trail.

Heritage Strategy

Crawley has a dynamic character with a long history of evolving and adapting in response to new pressures and challenges. Nevertheless, it retains a strong sense of local identity due largely to its distinctive history. To reflect this, the council’s Corporate Plan 2007-2012 included a commitment to producing a Heritage Strategy. Following consultation with key stakeholders, the Corporate Heritage Strategy was adopted in June 2008.

The Strategy acknowledges that there is already a large amount of work being undertaken by a wide range of agencies and departments, both within the council and by external partners such as West Sussex County Council and the Crawley Museum Society. The Strategy must therefore look at collating what currently exists, identify where there are gaps, and consider what we can do better. It includes a number of commitments to delivering the aims of the Strategy over the next few years.