Billingshurst

Billingshurst is located in the heart of West Sussex on the course of the ancient Roman Road, Stane Street that connected Chichester to London. Billingshurst is surrounded by lovely open countryside containing many smaller beautiful hamlets and villages. Billingshurst contains many delightful properties of considerable age as well as newer buildings including a recent extension to the Weald School and a modern village hall with conference and meeting facilities. The village hall also contains a display of the village’s history. No doubt the oldest building in the village is St. Mary’s Church with some parts dating to 1200. It is thought that a settlement probably existed before the Norman invasion in 1066, as Billingshurst’s name comes from the Saxon, meaning the ‘wood of the Billa’s people’.

There are many local societies and clubs in the area and Billingshurst is the home to the areas local comprehensive, the Weald School. Community spirit is strong amongst many people who have been born and raised in the area and many new people who have more recently joined the community. The current population is in access of 7000.

Billingshurst has changed and grown over the years as have many areas. As Billingshurst lies on the meeting point of two main routes, the A29 north/south and the A272 east/west, a by-pass was built and opened in 1999. This relieved much of the pressure of traffic heading through Billingshurst but did involve quite considerable development on the western side of the village. However, the majority of the modern developments have been designed and built in a sympathetic manner and are not as much of an eyesore as the ones that sprang up in the middle of the 20th century.

Billingshurst is currently experiencing exciting yet challenging times. To the west of the village is a large new complex of sports fields, fishing lake and woodland giving Billingshurst some of the best sports facilities in the District. Another exciting and Billingshurst has a four lane swimming pool and gymnastic centre further enhancing the leisure and sports facilities in the area and complementing the current facilities at the Weald’s Leisure Centre.  On the same site adjacent to the Weald School is a Children’s and Family’s Centre offering a range of facilities as well as a Nursery and Pre School.

The High Street has had a “make over” and offers an attractive centre to the town with new street furniture and improved access and for pedestrians.  Although traffic will not be banned from the High Street the volume and speed of traffic has been reduced making it more agreeable to pedestrians shopping and socializing in the centre of the town.

In 2002 Billingshurst commenced a Healthcheck process and as a result of this the Billingshurst Community Partnership was formed and currently they are now into their second “Five Year Plan” with a number of new initiatives including ten projects to further enhance the town centre and improve the services to its hinterland.

Billingshurst is served by the main London to South Coast Railway Line and has many local attractions. There are many lovely restaurants and pubs in the area and a good selection of shops. There are many pastimes and clubs to be involved in for the young and not so young. These are well established and the Community Partnership continues to work on its Key Projects and introduce new ones in consultation with the residents of all ages.

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Billingshurst Contacts:

Billingshurst Community Partnership Ltd

Address:
PO Box 28                   
Billingshurst                   
West Sussex                   
RH14 9FL

Tel: 07836 518 659
Email: community@billingshurst.gov.uk

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