What’s in a name?

The spelling of Crawley has changed over the centuries, but has never diverted too greatly from its original Anglo Saxon name of “crawe-leah”. This is translated as a “crow infested clearing”, which is perhaps not the grandest of beginnings, considering the importance of the town today.

Crawley New Town

Crawley is best known as a ‘New Town’ that was established and developed after the Second World War in order to cater for families living in London who were in need of employment and better living conditions. However, evidence of tools and other artifacts found buried underground suggests that Crawley was inhabited as far back as the Stone Age. A significant period of development came about in the mid-eighteenth century when Brighton became famous for its sea-bathing and Crawley was used as a handy stop off along the route from London. The introduction of the railway also furthered its growth, but it wasn’t until 1947 after the New Towns Act was passed that Crawley was established as a new town and people were encouraged to leave London and live and work in Crawley. It was hailed for its transport links, the nearby countryside and its more cost-effective business facilities.

Crawley Today

Crawley is now celebrated as the business centre of West Sussex and more and more companies are taking advantage of its prime location. Not only are SMEs well established in Crawley, but large companies are increasingly setting up branches and offices here and profiting from the growing business network. Aside from business, Crawley offers a desirable location to live, with family friendly housing outside town and modern apartment complexes in the centre of town. Crawley has a community feel and has bred some famous faces including the footballer Gareth Southgate, music band The Cure and Alan Minter, the former middleweight world champion boxer. Crawley is one of the UK's fastest growing towns.