Whilst Horley flirted with the coaching boom of the 17th and 18th Centuries, it wasn't until the railway arrived that residential infilling started joining the dots of the town's communities. The largely 19th Century architecture of the town tells a familiar story of post-rail expansion, just as the proposed expansion of the town (2,600 new homes under the ominously entitled Horley Master Plan) is due almost entirely to the growth of traffic and jobs at neighbouring Gatwick Airport. This is very much a communications town.
Whilst there is the usual sweep of 30's semis across Horley, there are a good number of alternative housing options, from new apartments to period properties. Victorian terraces and conversions are plentiful, especially around the centre, whilst new family housing of all sizes is available on the popular and award winning Langshott Wood estate and in the Meath Park area. There's a field of bungalows to the south towards The Crescent, with larger properties across London Road heading into Povey Wood.
Those looking for a listed period hideaway are most likely to strike gold along Mill Lane to the west and the Haroldslea Drive area to the East. The tree lined Balcombe Road stretches for a couple of miles without bending and, behind its hedges, lie some of the more luxurious of Horley houses.
The High Street is pedestrianised and you can wander across a millennial mosaic of the town as you fill your shopping bags. It's a neat idea, offering residents the same bird's eye view enjoyed by the 1000 planeloads of passengers flying in and out of Gatwick every day. Horley has a sizeable Waitrose and the rather exclusive independent department store, Collingwood Batchellor. There are good sports facilities around the town, as well as a leisure centre on Balcombe Road. Tucked under the railway arches, the Archway Theatre is an intimate venue for a little drama. Miles of beautiful countryside and woodland surround Horley, with as many walking paths on the ground as flight paths overhead.
Ye Olde Six Bells is as good a spot as you could find for a refreshing pint and, despite sounding like some chain brewery's heritage theme bar, it's the real thing: a pub which has been serving beer for the greater part of a millennium. Best of all, there's reputed to be an underground passageway leading to the church next door, apparently used by early clergy needing to wash down the body and blood of Christ with a quaff of ale. The names of some 12th Century priests who took a little Six Bells tipple with their sacrament can be found in the lobby.
Excellent private and state schools, including the popular Oakwood School, are easily accessible both in and around town.
Not only do Horley's residents provide daily ant-sized entertainment for thousands of Icarian viewers, a substantial percentage of them work in the airport, on the planes, or for those airlines, including Virgin and Continental, who have set up base in the town. 24 hour buses shuttle between the terminals and Horley ferrying the workers back and forth. With the road network routed into Gatwick, getting away from town is easy: the A32 and M23 are right on hand. Horley also sits on the Brighton to London railway line, and trains to Victoria take about half an hour."
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