Horsham is a historic market town on the River Arun in West Sussex, and the administrative centre of Horsham District. It's a friendly, family orientated place with a strong mix of independent shops, familiar high street names, bars and restaurants, a relatively low crime rate, and a real sense of community — which is exactly why this site exists: to bring together everything worth knowing about the town in one place.
A market town with real history
Horsham's story goes back centuries. The town is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, and a castle once stood here in the 11th century. Christ's Hospital, the historic "Bluecoat" school, moved to its Horsham site from the City of London in 1902 and remains one of the area's best-known landmarks. Walk around the town centre today and you'll still find timber-framed buildings around the Carfax, the atmospheric heart of Horsham.
Shopping, parks and things to do
The Carfax and the glass-roofed Swan Walk shopping centre form the hub of the town, mixing independent boutiques with well-known high street names. For green space and days out, Horsham Park is a favourite for picnics, play and events, Horsham Museum & Art Gallery tells the story of the town and district, and The Capitol hosts theatre, live music, comedy and film throughout the year.
Getting to and around Horsham
Horsham sits around 31 miles south-south-west of London and about 18 miles from Brighton, with a fast, frequent rail service to London Victoria taking roughly an hour, plus good road links via the A24 and A264. That makes it a popular base for commuters and day-trippers alike, while still keeping a proper market-town feel rather than a commuter-belt one.
Whether you're moving to the area, visiting, or you've lived here for years, this site is built to help — browse the menus for the business directory, local schools, restaurants, parks, weather, and much more covering Horsham, Southwater and Broadbridge Heath.
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