TOWNSPOTLIGHT
SPOTLIGHT ON
CRAWLEY
INHABITED SINCE THE STONE AGE , Crawley has always been an important hub of trade and industry in Sussex . Its location , close to both London and the coast , means it is the ideal place for that ‘ best of both worlds ’ feeling , and the amenities the town provides makes it an interesting place to be whether that ’ s for arts and culture , a meal out , or a spot of shopping .
HISTORY IN BRIEF
When archaeologists began to explore the area around Crawley , they discovered that there were tools buried beneath the ground that dated back to the Neolithic period – between 10,200BC and about 2,000BC . However , it is from 2,000BC onwards that Crawley really made a name for itself by becoming something of a specialist area for ironworks , something that ’ s evidenced by the remains of two Iron Age furnaces that were discovered underneath Goffs Park .
In 1202 , King John issued a licence for Crawley to hold weekly markets , which brought more trade to the area . The market was held every Wednesday , and in turn helped the area to grow . By the 17th century , Crawley was the stopover point on the journey from London to the Sussex coast , so coaching inns became the business to be in at that time . Some of the buildings that were built back then still exist today , including The George Hotel .
On January 9th 1947 , Crawley was designated as a ‘ new town ’.
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