St.Peter's Church and Ifield Road looking towards the High Street
West Green was in the parish of Ifield and probably predates Crawley - it is possible to trace the outlines of a medieval community.
Small's Lane follows on from the Horsham road, making a crossroad where St. Peter's Church stands continuing onto the High Street, and appears to be an ancient thoroughfare. A line can be traced on onwards along Black Dog Lane, behind Woolborough Road, then Hollybush Road to Crossways, where it crossed at the junction of Tinsley Lane and North Road, and continues along Hazelwick Mill Lane.
Victoria Park
A large pond blocking the way to Horsham Road was partly filled in to allow access, the Lord of Ifield Manor, Major Pipon, having the rest filled in by the early 1880s. The site later becoming Victoria Park.
The Victorian new town development was built between 1849 and 1872, and includes Springfield Road, West Street and adjoining roads. Development continued along the Horsham Road between 1880 and 1914.
West Green was the first of the New Town residential areas to be built between 1949 and 1954 and covering 180 acres.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1981 | 4,714 |
| 2001 | 4,404 |
| 2011 | 5,120 |
Sources & Further Reading
Wayfarer Denman's Crawley Revisited, Nadine Hygate (1993), p. 19
Crawley Observer, 10th May 1984
Crawley and District Courier, 24th April 1985; 21st August 1985