Crowborough

Crowborough
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Crowborough".

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Crowborough
Crowborough shown within East Sussex
Area^[1]	5.3 sq mi (13.6 km²)
Population	19,988 (2007)^[1]
- Density	3,812/sq mi (1,472/km²)
OS grid reference	TQ518312
- London	33 miles (53 km) NNW
District	Wealden
Shire county	East Sussex
Region	South East
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	CROWBOROUGH
Postcode district	TN6
Dialling code	01892
Police	Sussex
Fire	East Sussex
Ambulance	South East Coast
European Parliament	South East England
UK Parliament	Wealden
Website: http://www.crowboroughtc.co.uk/
List of places: UK • England • East Sussex

Coordinates: 51°04′N 0°10′E / 51.06, 0.16

Crowborough is a town in the Wealden district of East Sussex, England. It is situated on the Weald and at the edge of Ashdown Forest, in the High Weald Area of Outstanding National Beauty 7 miles (12.8 km) south-west of Royal Tunbridge Wells and 35 miles (56 km) south of London. It has road and rail links, and is served by a town council. It is the largest inland town (by population) in East Sussex.

1 History
2 Governance
3 Geography
4 Transport
5 Education
6 Sport & leisure
7 Notable people
8 Local traditions
9 Twin towns
10 External links

History

Various derivations for the meaning of the town’s name have been put forward.^[2] Before becoming a settlement as such, local documents use the names Crohbergh, Crowbergh, Croweborowghe, Crowbarrow and Crowboro. Croh (Old English: saffron or golden-yellow colour and berg means hill. Gorse, growing in profusion in the Crowborough Beacon area, and its yellow flowers might well have contributed to the meaning.

In 1734, a local benefactor, Sir Henry Fermor bequeathed money for a church and charity school for the benefit of the 'very ignorant and heathenish people' that lived in the part of Rotherfield “in or near a place called Crowborough and Ashdown Forest“.^[3] The church, dedicated to All Saints, and school (primary) still survive today.

In the late 19th century it was promoted as a health resort based on its high elevation, the rolling hills and surrounding forest. Some went as far as to call it Scotland in Sussex.

Governance

Crowborough as a place in its own right came into being in 1880, when an ecclesiastical parish was formed from that at nearby Rotherfield; a civil parish was established on 6 April 1905; which in turn became a Town Council on 24 May 1988.^[4]

Crowborough shares the headquarters of Wealden District Council with Hailsham, 13 miles (20.8 km) to the south-west; this sharing is due to transfer Hailsham alone by 2010.

Geography

Crowborough
Elevation	242 metres (794 ft)
Location	High Weald, England
Prominence	c. 159 m
Parent peak	Leith Hill
Topo map	OS Landranger 188
OS grid reference	TQ510305
Listing	Marilyn

The town is on the summit of the highest point of the High Weald and second highest point in East Sussex (the highest is Ditchling Beacon). The relative height of the highest point of the town is 159 m, meaning Crowborough qualifies as one of England's Marilyns. The actual summit is not marked on the ground.

Transport

Crowborough is located on the A26 road between Tunbridge Wells and Lewes. and near the A21 road to London.

Crowborough railway station is on the line to Uckfield which is operated by Southern taking passengers to London Bridge station; the journey takes approximately one hour.

Education

Crowborough is served by one secondary school: Beacon Community College; and by seven primary schools:

Whitehill Infant School
Herne Junior School
High Hurstwood CE (controlled) School
Jarvis Brook County Primary School
St Johns CE (aided) School
St Mary’s RC School
Sir Henry Fermor (aided) CE School
Grove Park Special School

There are also two independent preparatory schools.

The town's location on the cusp of the Kent/East Sussex border means that the grammar schools in Kent are available for Crowborough pupils.

Sport & leisure

Crowborough has several recreation grounds, perhaps most notably Goldsmiths, which is the site of the local leisure centre. The Goldsmiths Recreation Ground was given to the parish by private owners in 1937. The town council has since purchased additional land and has developed the ground into a much needed recreation centre for the whole community. The ground now houses a sports centre including a swimming pool and a boating lake.^[5]

Crowborough Athletic F.C. and Jarvis Brook F.C. are the town's main football clubs, and Crowborough currently play in Sussex County League Division One. They are the 2007-08 Sussex League Champions.

Crowborough Rugby Union Club won promotion from the Sussex leagues in 2006 and now playing in the London 4th division.

Crowborough Scout Group (third largest in the UK) is actively involved with the Crowborough community and is celebrating 100 years of scouting (1908-2008).

Notable people

George Doggett, founder of a local chapel
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930), the author of the Sherlock Holmes novels and short stories (whose statue stands in the town centre)
David Jason (1940– ), actor, most commonly known for playing the character Del Boy in the TV sitcom Only Fools And Horses lived in the town during the 1980s.
Richard Jefferies (1848–1887): writer and naturalist
British Hip Hop Artist Jehst

Luxford House, on Luxford Road at the southern end of town, was once owned by the rock manager Tony Stratton-Smith of Genesis. His own in-house recording studio played host to, among others, Neil Diamond, Genesis and Van Der Graaf Generator, whose "Pawn Hearts" album cover features a photo of the house.

Crowborough is also home of the English Grand Lodge for Europe and Africa of the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC.

Local traditions

A main event in the town's calendar is its celebration of Guy Fawkes Night, held annually on 5 November. An average attendance of 5000 people descend upon Goldsmiths Recreation Ground to witness this town council event. Donations on the night are traditionally collected by the local Lions Club, and donated to the mayor's charity. The town council also puts on a summer fair and a Christmas fair, for which the dates are agreed annually.