Horsham is a market town and district in West Sussex, England. (Horsham is also the name of a township in Pennsylvania, USA.)

History and Development

Horsham was mentioned in the Domesday Book.

The town has grown steadily over recent years to a population of over 30,000. This has been facilitated by the completion of both an inner and outer town bypass. The location of any new growth is the subject of debate.

Famous residents

Percy Bysshe Shelley was born in Horsham, and is commemorated by the Shelley Fountain, a large and complex fountain in the shape of a globe, in the town centre.

Harry Enfield attended Collyers sixth form college in the town.

Administration

Horsham is the largest town in the district of the same name. There is no town council for the town centre, however parish councils exist for some of the suburbs. The town is the administrative centre for Horsham district. The district is a two-tier area, thus the town also comes under the remit of West Sussex County Council.

Location and Transport

Horsham lies at the crossroads of three routes.

• the A24 north/south route from London and Dorking to Worthing
• the A264 /A29 north east to south west route from Crawley to Chichester
• the A281 north west to south east route from Guildford to Brighton

The town has one main railway station, Horsham railway station , on the main 'Arun valley' line from Chichester to Crawley, Gatwick and London Victoria. Other services continue north to Dorking, Epsom and London Waterloo. There is also a station at Littlehaven in the north east of the town on the Crawley line.

Cyclists can reach Guildford and Shoreham via the Downs Link , an old railway line which passes through Southwater , just to the south of Horsham.

Town centre

Horsham town centre is focused around a pedestrianised square called the Carfax. Two shopping centres, Piries Place and Swan Walk, are located off the Carfax. Close by are the two other principal shopping streets East street and the pedestrianised West street. A new shopping area and public square, the Forum, has recently been completed to the south of West street.

To the south of the Carfax is the Causeway. This quiet, undeveloped street leads to the town centre Anglican church St. Marys. Beyond the church is the River Arun and the town cricket field.

To the north of the Carfax is the large town park. The park has numerous football pitches, a wildlife pond and tennis courts. Various leisure facilities have been built on land around the park.

Education and Emergency services facilities

Horsham is home to the well-known (sixth form) College of Richard Collyer , known as 'Collyers', on Hurst Road (near the centre). This road also has on it a hospital, law courts, fire station and police station.

Leisure and Culture

Horsham has various facilities for leisure:

• Pavillions in the Park - a leisure centre with swimming pool
• Ten pin bowling alley
• Shelleys - a nightspot
• a two screen cinema and theatre complex, known as 'The Capitol'

External links

• Horsham District Council
• Multimap of Horsham
• The Horsham Society