Horsham: A History

Horsham has a long and rich history, with surviving written records dating back over a thousand years, but this book delves back even further into prehistoric times, to a period millions of years ago when the site of the town was near the edge of a floodplain, around which dinosaurs roamed.

The book starts with fascinating clues to the culture of some of the earliest settlers, provided by artefacts discovered in and around Horsham. The author chronicles Horsham’s rapid development as a market town and borough in medieval times, the turbulence of the Tudor and Stuart eras, and life in the Georgian period. She examines the impact of the railway and, later, the motor car. The trauma of two World Wars and the town’s drastic expansion in more recent decades are also explored.

Numerous stunning illustrations bring the history of this ancient Wealden town to life. Sources, including previously unpublished documentation, and oral recollections paint a vivid and comprehensive picture of Horsham’s history. This book will prove invaluable for anyone interested in, and fascinated by, Horsham’s past.