Ifield, Crawley
Encyclopedia
Ifield is a former village and now a neighbourhood within the town of Crawley
in West Sussex
, England
. Ifield is in the west of the town and is bordered by Ifield West, Horsham
, Langley Green
to the north east, West Green
to the east across the ring road and Gossops Green
and Bewbush
to the south across the Arun Valley railway line.
Although many gazetteers describe Ifield as a neighbourhood within Crawley, a small part of the district actually lies outside the Crawley boundary. The boundary in this area follows Ifield Brook, a small stream that flows from Ifield millpond eventually joining the River Mole. The part of Ifield lying west of Ifield Brook is semi-rural and lies under the jurisdiction of Horsham
District Council. Residents here pay council tax
to Horsham District Council, not to Crawley Borough Council, and their local services are provided from Horsham. Horsham town lies to the west of Crawley.
and was opened in 1907 as 'Ifield Halt'. Services run to Three Bridges Station and London Victoria on Platform 1 and Horsham
on Platform 2. The level crossing that used to be in operation was replaced by the footbridge that now connects the two platforms.
Ifield Water Mill
Ifield Mill Pond lies between Bewbush, Gossops Green and Ifield West. It is the source
of the River Mole which runs north to the River Thames
above Teddington Lock
. In 1683 Ifield Water Mill
, a corn mill, was built in the north of the pond; it used water from the mill pond to turn its water wheel
. It was rebuilt in 1817 and is now being restored. The Mill Pond is considered to be "the most important wetland site in Crawley" and supports a rich bird community:
The name Ifield is derived from "Yew-field". There were many Yew trees in the parish, and some can be seen in the churchyard of St Margaret's Church.
Ifield contains some of the most historic parts of Crawley, and there is a mention in the Domesday Book
: "it is and was worth 20 shillings", where Ifield was spelt Ifelthttp://www.domesdaybookonline.co.uk. Locally there is much evidence of Saxon iron works and a stretch of Roman Road still exists today known locally as the "Quarter Mile"http://www.british-history.ac.uk. St Margaret's Church
was built in the 13th century. It contains both the grave of Mark Lemon
(the first editor of Punch
), and the Denzil Holles family vault. The old parish of Ifield contained most of the western part of modern day Crawley, and the old village is on the very western edge of the new town. As well as containing two modern churches - St.Leonards in Langley Green and St.Albans in Gossops Green - Ifield Parish also contains a Friends' Meeting House. Founded in 1676 it was the first purpose-built meeting place for the Quakers anywhere in the worldhttp://www.british-history.ac.uk.
A V1 flying bomb landed in Ifield during World War II
. It damaged the village school and wounded one local man who remained slightly brain damaged for the rest of his life.
Denzil Holles was created Baron Holles of Ifield in 1661, after his part in the restoration of Charles II of England
. The peerage
became extinct after his grandson died unmarried and without issue. Denzil was buried in Westminster Abbey
, but his family are interred here.
Crawley
Crawley is a town and local government district with Borough status in West Sussex, England. It is south of Charing Cross, north of Brighton and Hove, and northeast of the county town of Chichester, covers an area of and had a population of 99,744 at the time of the 2001 Census.The area has...
in West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Ifield is in the west of the town and is bordered by Ifield West, Horsham
Horsham
Horsham is a market town with a population of 55,657 on the upper reaches of the River Arun in the centre of the Weald, West Sussex, in the historic County of Sussex, England. The town is south south-west of London, north-west of Brighton and north-east of the county town of Chichester...
, Langley Green
Langley Green, Crawley
Langley Green is a neighbourhood within the town of Crawley in West Sussex, England. Langley Green is in the north-west of the town and is bordered by Manor Royal to the east, Northgate to the south east, West Green to the south across the ring road and Ifield to the west. The main streets running...
to the north east, West Green
West Green, Crawley
West Green is one of the 13 residential neighbourhoods in Crawley, a town and borough in West Sussex, England. Crawley was planned and laid out as a New Town after the Second World War, based on the principle of self-contained neighbourhoods surrounding a town centre of civic and commercial buildings...
to the east across the ring road and Gossops Green
Gossops Green, Crawley
Gossops Green is a neighbourhood within the town of Crawley in West Sussex, England. Gossops Green is located in the west of the town and is bordered by Bewbush to the south west, Ifield to the north and Southgate to the east across the ring road. Gossops Green is also a local government...
and Bewbush
Bewbush, Crawley
Bewbush is a neighbourhood of Crawley in West Sussex, England and is one of the town's 13 designated neighbourhoods. Bewbush is located in south west Crawley and is bordered by Broadfield to the south, Ifield to the north and Gossops Green to the north east. The neighbourhood has a population of...
to the south across the Arun Valley railway line.
Although many gazetteers describe Ifield as a neighbourhood within Crawley, a small part of the district actually lies outside the Crawley boundary. The boundary in this area follows Ifield Brook, a small stream that flows from Ifield millpond eventually joining the River Mole. The part of Ifield lying west of Ifield Brook is semi-rural and lies under the jurisdiction of Horsham
Horsham
Horsham is a market town with a population of 55,657 on the upper reaches of the River Arun in the centre of the Weald, West Sussex, in the historic County of Sussex, England. The town is south south-west of London, north-west of Brighton and north-east of the county town of Chichester...
District Council. Residents here pay council tax
Council tax
Council Tax is the system of local taxation used in England, Scotland and Wales to part fund the services provided by local government in each country. It was introduced in 1993 by the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as a successor to the unpopular Community Charge...
to Horsham District Council, not to Crawley Borough Council, and their local services are provided from Horsham. Horsham town lies to the west of Crawley.
Education
There are five schools in Ifield neighbourhood:- Primary Schools: St.Margaret's Church of England Primary School and Mill Primary School
- Secondary School: Ifield Community CollegeIfield Community CollegeIfield Community College is a maintained comprehensive secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 18.-Admissions:It caters for around 1000 pupils in years 7 to 13, including over 100 in its sixth form. It is in the west of Crawley, next to the A23...
- Special Schools: Manor Green SchoolManor Green SchoolManor Green School is a day special school located in Maidenhead, Berkshire, England. It accommodates up to 150 students age 2-19 with a wide range of special educational needs.Ania Hildrey was appointed as the new Headteacher in September 2010....
and Manor Green College
Ifield station
Ifield station is located on the south side of the neighbourhood on the border with Gossops Green neighbourhood. The station is part of the Arun Valley LineArun Valley Line
The Arun Valley Line, also known as the Mid Sussex Line, is part of the Southern-operated railway services. For the initial part of the route trains follow the Brighton Main Line, and at a junction south of Three Bridges the route turns westwards...
and was opened in 1907 as 'Ifield Halt'. Services run to Three Bridges Station and London Victoria on Platform 1 and Horsham
Horsham
Horsham is a market town with a population of 55,657 on the upper reaches of the River Arun in the centre of the Weald, West Sussex, in the historic County of Sussex, England. The town is south south-west of London, north-west of Brighton and north-east of the county town of Chichester...
on Platform 2. The level crossing that used to be in operation was replaced by the footbridge that now connects the two platforms.
Ifield Water MillIfield Water MillIfield Water Mill is a 19th-century weatherboarded watermill in the Ifield neighbourhood of Crawley, a town and borough in West Sussex, England. Built on the site of an earlier, smaller flour mill, which itself replaced an iron forge—one of many in the Crawley area—it fell into disuse in the 1930s...
and Mill Pond
Source (river or stream)
The source or headwaters of a river or stream is the place from which the water in the river or stream originates.-Definition:There is no universally agreed upon definition for determining a stream's source...
of the River Mole which runs north to the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
above Teddington Lock
Teddington Lock
Teddington Lock is a complex of three locks and a weir on the River Thames in England at Ham in the western suburbs of London. The lock is on the southern Surrey side of the river....
. In 1683 Ifield Water Mill
Ifield Water Mill
Ifield Water Mill is a 19th-century weatherboarded watermill in the Ifield neighbourhood of Crawley, a town and borough in West Sussex, England. Built on the site of an earlier, smaller flour mill, which itself replaced an iron forge—one of many in the Crawley area—it fell into disuse in the 1930s...
, a corn mill, was built in the north of the pond; it used water from the mill pond to turn its water wheel
Water wheel
A water wheel is a machine for converting the energy of free-flowing or falling water into useful forms of power. A water wheel consists of a large wooden or metal wheel, with a number of blades or buckets arranged on the outside rim forming the driving surface...
. It was rebuilt in 1817 and is now being restored. The Mill Pond is considered to be "the most important wetland site in Crawley" and supports a rich bird community:
- Birds that breed in the Mill Pond:
- cootCootCoots are medium-sized water birds that are members of the rail family Rallidae. They constitute the genus Fulica. Coots have predominantly black plumage, and, unlike many of the rails, they are usually easy to see, often swimming in open water...
- moorhenMoorhenMoorhens, sometimes called marsh hens, are medium-sized water birds that are members of the rail family Rallidae. They constitute the genus Gallinula....
- mallardMallardThe Mallard , or Wild Duck , is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand and Australia....
- mute swanMute SwanThe Mute Swan is a species of swan, and thus a member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae. It is native to much of Europe and Asia, and the far north of Africa. It is also an introduced species in North America, Australasia and southern Africa. The name 'mute' derives from it being less...
- great crested grebeGreat Crested GrebeThe Great Crested Grebe is a member of the grebe family of water birds.- Description :The Great Crested Grebe is long with a wingspan. It is an excellent swimmer and diver, and pursues its fish prey underwater. The adults are unmistakable in summer with head and neck decorations...
- reed buntingReed BuntingThe Reed Bunting, Emberiza schoeniclus, is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae, a group now separated by most modern authors from the finches, Fringillidae....
- grey wagtailGrey WagtailThe Grey Wagtail is a small member of the wagtail family, Motacillidae. The species looks similar to the Yellow Wagtail but has the yellow on its underside restricted to the throat and vent. Breeding males have a black throat...
- coot
- Birds that visit the Mill Pond in the winter:
- duckDuckDuck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
- kingfisherKingfisherKingfishers are a group of small to medium sized brightly coloured birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species being found in the Old World and Australia...
- heronHeronThe herons are long-legged freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae. There are 64 recognised species in this family. Some are called "egrets" or "bitterns" instead of "heron"....
- water railWater RailThe Water Rail is a bird of the rail family which breeds in well-vegetated wetlands across Europe, Asia and North Africa. Northern and eastern populations are migratory, but this species is a permanent resident in the warmer parts of its breeding range...
- duck
History
Ifield contains some of the most historic parts of Crawley, and there is a mention in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
: "it is and was worth 20 shillings", where Ifield was spelt Ifelthttp://www.domesdaybookonline.co.uk. Locally there is much evidence of Saxon iron works and a stretch of Roman Road still exists today known locally as the "Quarter Mile"http://www.british-history.ac.uk. St Margaret's Church
St Margaret's Church, Ifield
St Margaret's Church is an Anglican church in the Ifield neighbourhood of Crawley, a town and borough in West Sussex, England. It is the ancient parish church of the village of Ifield; the medieval settlement was expanded to form one of the New Town of Crawley's 13 neighbourhoods, and the church's...
was built in the 13th century. It contains both the grave of Mark Lemon
Mark Lemon
Mark Lemon was founding editor of both Punch and The Field.-Biography:Lemon was born in London on the 30 November 1809. He was the son of Martin Lemon, a hop merchant, and Alice Collis. His parents married on 26 December 1808 at St Mary, Marylebone, London...
(the first editor of Punch
Punch (magazine)
Punch, or the London Charivari was a British weekly magazine of humour and satire established in 1841 by Henry Mayhew and engraver Ebenezer Landells. Historically, it was most influential in the 1840s and 50s, when it helped to coin the term "cartoon" in its modern sense as a humorous illustration...
), and the Denzil Holles family vault. The old parish of Ifield contained most of the western part of modern day Crawley, and the old village is on the very western edge of the new town. As well as containing two modern churches - St.Leonards in Langley Green and St.Albans in Gossops Green - Ifield Parish also contains a Friends' Meeting House. Founded in 1676 it was the first purpose-built meeting place for the Quakers anywhere in the worldhttp://www.british-history.ac.uk.
A V1 flying bomb landed in Ifield during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It damaged the village school and wounded one local man who remained slightly brain damaged for the rest of his life.
Denzil Holles was created Baron Holles of Ifield in 1661, after his part in the restoration of Charles II of England
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
. The peerage
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
became extinct after his grandson died unmarried and without issue. Denzil was buried in Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
, but his family are interred here.