The Worth Way
Encyclopedia
The Worth Way is a 7-mile (11 km) footpath and bridleway linking the West Sussex
towns of Crawley
and East Grinstead
via the village of Crawley Down
. Mostly following the trackbed of a disused railway the path is an important wildlife corridor. It is part of the national cycle network.
- which opened in 1855 and closed in 1967 as a result of the programme of closures
put forward by East Grinstead resident and British Transport Commission
Chairman, Richard Beeching
. By 1977 West Sussex County Council
had purchased almost four miles of the line, mostly in the parish of Worth
. On 10 July 1979 much of the route was officially reopened as footpath and bridleway.
The reopening came, however, too late for two sections of the route which had already been lost to development by 1979. Firstly, the site of the former Grange Road railway station
in Crawley Down was obliterated by a small parade of shops with flats above, and the trackbed leading eastwards has been built on; the route of the Worth Way is therefore diverted for approximately 1500m near at a point near the B2028 Turners Hill Road to Cobb Close, taking the Way through a housing estate. Secondly, at Compasses Corner (formerly Compasses Crossing level crossing
) on Wallage Lane the trackbed as far as the M23
has been reused as a landfill
site, the original railway alignment being marked by a line of trees. Here the Worth Way continues along Wallage Lane for 150m before turning off to join a bridleway which passes through a farm to reach a bridge over the M23 which leads into the urban sprawl
of Worth, now a suburb of Crawley
, following local roads to rejoin the railway alignment near Church Road.
A final minor diversion occurs near Rowfant railway station
(still standing) where the former goods yard is in industrial use and the route briefly diverts to the road.
, as well as a new link with another trail, the Forest Way
, at Herontye Drive in East Grinstead which follows the remaining section of the Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells Central Line as far as Groombridge
.
Both the Worth Way and the Forest Way, together with a third disused railway footpath - the Cuckoo Trail
, form part of Route 21
of the National Cycle Network
linking London
, Reigate
and Gatwick Airport with East Grinstead, Heathfield
and Eastbourne
.
, much of the Worth Way forms an important wildlife corridor supporting a wide variety of fauna and flora. The former railway cuttings and embankments have been progressively colonised by trees, notably Silver Birch, Ash
, Hazel
and Sallow
, which have developed into mature woodland. In addition, in areas where chalk was used in the construction of the railway line, chalk-loving plants such as Guelder Rose, Common spotted orchid
, Twayblade and Wild Strawberry have flourished. The trees and plants attract in turn a variety of wildlife, including over two hundred species of insect which feed on the Sallow. Butterflies are also common, with Brimstone
s in Spring, the White Admiral
and Speckled Wood
from June followed by Meadow Brown
, Ringlet
and Skipper
s in high Summer.
The Worth Way habitat is also home to a variety of birds, mammals and reptiles. Nuthatch
and Chiffchaff
are often spotted in the trees, whilst the Kingfisher
has been seen at Crawley Down Pond. Adder
s, grass snake
s and the common lizard
bask in sunny glade
s along the old railway line, and the adjoining farmland provides a habitat for roe deer
and fox
es. Bat
s can sometimes be spotted near dusk.
The trail is managed by two local authorities - Crawley Borough Council (in respect of the section from Three Bridges to the M23 and West Sussex County Council (the remainder of the route). The sympathetic management of the route seeks to maintain a mosaic of differently-aged trees and shrubs whilst retaining the open areas; this is achieved by coppicing
in rotation - cutting trees and shrubs back to their base - to benefit plants such as Primrose
and insects. The subsequent regrowth then provides nesting sites for birds. Open areas are regularly cut, preventing scrub from encroaching and encouraging species which thrive on open conditions. Ditches along the way keep the path dry and are important to wildlife. The Crawley Down Pond is managed by a local environmental group which initially began in 1999 with three or four members of the public collecting litter; it has now grown into a more substantial and organised collective which meets every third Sunday of the month (weather permitting) between September and May. Recent activities have included the installation of a new bank to prevent flooding.
Litter picks along the length of the Worth Way have been organised annually by Crawley Borough Council as part of their Let's FACE it campaign to clear fly-tipping
and refuse dumped along the trail.
car park to be converted into an A road linking with the A22 Beeching Way
. The Worth Way Action Group was set up to fight the proposals and it achieved its goal in March 2007 when the scheme was dropped on the basis that its estimated costs of £157 million (representing £60,000 per East Grinstead dwelling) made it unviable.
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...
towns of Crawley
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...
and East Grinstead
East Grinstead
East Grinstead is a town and civil parish in the northeastern corner of Mid Sussex, West Sussex in England near the East Sussex, Surrey, and Kent borders. It lies south of London, north northeast of Brighton, and east northeast of the county town of Chichester...
via the village of Crawley Down
Crawley Down
Crawley Down is a village in the Mid Sussex district of West Sussex, England. There is one church, one school, and a number of social groups. It lies seven miles from Gatwick Airport. Nearest railway stations are Three Bridges and East Grinstead...
. Mostly following the trackbed of a disused railway the path is an important wildlife corridor. It is part of the national cycle network.
History
The Worth Way follows for much of its route part of the course of a dismantled railway - the Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells Central LineThree Bridges to Tunbridge Wells Central Line
The Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells Central Line was a railway line running from Three Bridges in West Sussex to Tunbridge Wells Central in Kent via East Grinstead in East Sussex, a distance of . Opened in 1855, the main section of the line was a casualty of the Beeching Axe the last train ran on...
- which opened in 1855 and closed in 1967 as a result of the programme of closures
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
put forward by East Grinstead resident and British Transport Commission
British Transport Commission
The British Transport Commission was created by Clement Attlee's post-war Labour government as a part of its nationalisation programme, to oversee railways, canals and road freight transport in Great Britain...
Chairman, Richard Beeching
Richard Beeching
Richard Beeching, Baron Beeching , commonly known as Doctor Beeching, was chairman of British Railways and a physicist and engineer...
. By 1977 West Sussex County Council
West Sussex County Council
West Sussex County Council is the authority that governs the non-metropolitan county of West Sussex. The county also contains 7 district and borough councils, and 159 town, parish and neighbourhood councils. The county council has 71 elected councillors...
had purchased almost four miles of the line, mostly in the parish of Worth
Worth, West Sussex
The civil parish of Worth, which includes the villages of Copthorne, West Sussex and Crawley Down, covers an area of and has a population of 9888 persons. The ecclesiastical parish was one of the larger West Sussex parishes, encompassing the entire area along the West Sussex/Surrey border between...
. On 10 July 1979 much of the route was officially reopened as footpath and bridleway.
The reopening came, however, too late for two sections of the route which had already been lost to development by 1979. Firstly, the site of the former Grange Road railway station
Grange Road railway station
Grange Road was a railway station on the Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells Central Line which closed in 1967, a casualty of the Beeching Axe.The original proposal to construct the railway line drew objections from one J.H. Wilson, the owner of "The Grange" house, who refused to allow a station on...
in Crawley Down was obliterated by a small parade of shops with flats above, and the trackbed leading eastwards has been built on; the route of the Worth Way is therefore diverted for approximately 1500m near at a point near the B2028 Turners Hill Road to Cobb Close, taking the Way through a housing estate. Secondly, at Compasses Corner (formerly Compasses Crossing level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
) on Wallage Lane the trackbed as far as the M23
M23 motorway
The M23 motorway is a motorway in England. The motorway runs from south of Hooley in Surrey, where it splits from the A23, to Pease Pottage, south of Crawley in West Sussex where it rejoins the A23. The northern end of the motorway starts at junction 7 on what is effectively a spur north from...
has been reused as a landfill
Landfill
A landfill site , is a site for the disposal of waste materials by burial and is the oldest form of waste treatment...
site, the original railway alignment being marked by a line of trees. Here the Worth Way continues along Wallage Lane for 150m before turning off to join a bridleway which passes through a farm to reach a bridge over the M23 which leads into the urban sprawl
Urban sprawl
Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a multifaceted concept, which includes the spreading outwards of a city and its suburbs to its outskirts to low-density and auto-dependent development on rural land, high segregation of uses Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a...
of Worth, now a suburb of Crawley
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...
, following local roads to rejoin the railway alignment near Church Road.
A final minor diversion occurs near Rowfant railway station
Rowfant railway station
Rowfant was a railway station on the Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells Central Line which closed in 1967, a casualty of the Beeching Axe.The route of the railway line cut a path through the estate of Curtis Miranda Lampson, a wealthy American fur trader and vice-chairman of the Atlantic Telegraph...
(still standing) where the former goods yard is in industrial use and the route briefly diverts to the road.
National Cycle Network
In Summer 1999 the trail was resurfaced using a combination of natural materials to enable it to become part of the Sustrans National Cycle Network. Lasting eight weeks, the work was carried out by contractors Edburtons who laid a 2.5m wide path which would accommodate walkers, cyclists and horseriders. The works cost £300,000 and were jointly funded by West Sussex County Council, Mid Sussex County Council and the National Lottery Millennium Fund; the telecommunications company Eurobell also contributed funds in return for the right to lay cables under the path. The works coincided with the completion of final section of the Worth Way between Station Hill near Three Bridges stationThree Bridges railway station
Three Bridges railway station is located in and named after the village of Three Bridges, which is now a district of Crawley, West Sussex, England...
, as well as a new link with another trail, the Forest Way
Forest Way
The Forest Way is a linear Country park providing walking, cycling, horse riding and the quiet enjoyment of the countryside. It runs for around 16 km from East Grinstead to Groombridge....
, at Herontye Drive in East Grinstead which follows the remaining section of the Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells Central Line as far as Groombridge
Groombridge
thumb|right|A house in GroombridgeGroombridge is a village of about 1,600 people. It straddles the border between Kent and East Sussex, in England. The nearest large town is Tunbridge Wells, about away by road....
.
Both the Worth Way and the Forest Way, together with a third disused railway footpath - the Cuckoo Trail
Cuckoo Trail
The Cuckoo Trail is an footpath and cycleway which runs from Hampden Park to Heathfield in East Sussex. It passes through the towns of Polegate and Hailsham, as well as the villages of Hellingly and Horam.- History :...
, form part of Route 21
National Cycle Route 21
National Cycle Route 21 is part of the United Kingdom's National Cycle Network. It runs from Greenwich in South-East London south to Crawley, then east to Groombridge and south to Eastbourne, with a short final loop northwards again to its end at Pevensey....
of the National Cycle Network
National Cycle Network
The National Cycle Network is a network of cycle routes in the United Kingdom.The National Cycle Network was created by the charity Sustrans , and aided by a £42.5 million National Lottery grant. In 2005 it was used for over 230 million trips.Many routes hope to minimise contact with motor...
linking London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Reigate
Reigate
Reigate is a historic market town in Surrey, England, at the foot of the North Downs, and in the London commuter belt. It is one of the main constituents of the Borough of Reigate and Banstead...
and Gatwick Airport with East Grinstead, Heathfield
Heathfield, East Sussex
Heathfield is a small market town, and the principal settlement in the civil parish of Heathfield and Waldron in the Wealden District of East Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, England.-Location:...
and Eastbourne
Eastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
.
Flora and fauna
Officially designated a Site of Nature Conservation Importance in an Area of Outstanding Natural BeautyArea of Outstanding Natural Beauty
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an area of countryside considered to have significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, that has been specially designated by the Countryside Agency on behalf of the United Kingdom government; the Countryside Council for Wales on...
, much of the Worth Way forms an important wildlife corridor supporting a wide variety of fauna and flora. The former railway cuttings and embankments have been progressively colonised by trees, notably Silver Birch, Ash
Ash tree
Fraxinus is a genus flowering plants in the olive and lilac family, Oleaceae. It contains 45-65 species of usually medium to large trees, mostly deciduous though a few subtropical species are evergreen. The tree's common English name, ash, goes back to the Old English æsc, while the generic name...
, Hazel
Hazel
The hazels are a genus of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate northern hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family Betulaceae, though some botanists split the hazels into a separate family Corylaceae.They have simple, rounded leaves with double-serrate margins...
and Sallow
Willow
Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
, which have developed into mature woodland. In addition, in areas where chalk was used in the construction of the railway line, chalk-loving plants such as Guelder Rose, Common spotted orchid
Common spotted orchid
The Common Spotted-orchid is acommonly occurring species of European orchid. It is widely variable in colour and height, ranging from 15 to 60 cm in height. The flower colour can vary from white to pale purple with purple spots. The lip has three lobes...
, Twayblade and Wild Strawberry have flourished. The trees and plants attract in turn a variety of wildlife, including over two hundred species of insect which feed on the Sallow. Butterflies are also common, with Brimstone
Brimstone (butterfly)
The Common Brimstone is a butterfly of the Pieridae family. It lives in Europe, North Africa and Asia; across much of its range, it is the only species of its genus, and is therefore simply known locally as the brimstone....
s in Spring, the White Admiral
Limenitis camilla
The White Admiral, Limenitis camilla, is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family. They are found in woodland throughout southern Britain and much of Europe and Asia, extending as far east as Japan....
and Speckled Wood
Speckled Wood
The Speckled Wood is a butterfly found in and on the borders of woodland throughout much of the Palearctic ecozone.In North Europe, Central Europe , Asia Minor, Syria, Russia and Central Asia where subspecies P. a. tircis occurs it is brown with pale yellow or cream spots and darker upperwing...
from June followed by Meadow Brown
Meadow Brown
The Meadow Brown, Maniola jurtina, is a butterfly found in European meadows, where its larvae feed on grasses, such as Sheep's Fescue.Similar species are Gatekeeper and Small Heath ....
, Ringlet
Ringlet
The Ringlet is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is only one of the numerous "ringlet" butterflies in the tribe Satyrini.-External links:* http://www.eurobutterflies.com/species_pages/hyperantus.htm...
and Skipper
Skipper (butterfly)
A skipper or skipper butterfly is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. They are named after their quick, darting flight habits. There are more than 3500 recognized species of skippers and they occur worldwide, but with the greatest diversity in the Neotropical regions of Central and South...
s in high Summer.
The Worth Way habitat is also home to a variety of birds, mammals and reptiles. Nuthatch
Nuthatch
The nuthatches are a genus, Sitta, of small passerine birds belonging to the family Sittidae. Characterised by large heads, short tails, and powerful bills and feet, nuthatches advertise their territory using loud, simple songs...
and Chiffchaff
Chiffchaff
The Common Chiffchaff, or simply the Chiffchaff, is a common and widespread leaf-warbler which breeds in open woodlands throughout northern and temperate Europe and Asia....
are often spotted in the trees, whilst the Kingfisher
Kingfisher
Kingfishers 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...
has been seen at Crawley Down Pond. Adder
Vipera berus
Vipera berus, the common European adder or common European viper, is a venomous viper species that is extremely widespread and can be found throughout most of Western Europe and all the way to Far East Asia. Known by a host of common names including Common adder and Common viper, adders have been...
s, grass snake
Grass Snake
The grass snake , sometimes called the ringed snake or water snake is a European non-venomous snake. It is often found near water and feeds almost exclusively on amphibians.-Etymology:...
s and the common lizard
Viviparous lizard
The viviparous lizard or common lizard is a Eurasian lizard. It lives farther north than any other reptile species, and most populations are viviparous , rather than laying eggs as most other lizards do.-Identification:The length of the body is less than...
bask in sunny glade
Glade (geography)
A glade or clearing is an open area within a woodland. Glades are often grassy meadows under the canopy of deciduous trees such as red alder or quaking aspen in western North America. They also represent openings in forests where local conditions such as avalanches, poor soils, or fire damage have...
s along the old railway line, and the adjoining farmland provides a habitat for roe deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
and fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
es. Bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
s can sometimes be spotted near dusk.
The trail is managed by two local authorities - Crawley Borough Council (in respect of the section from Three Bridges to the M23 and West Sussex County Council (the remainder of the route). The sympathetic management of the route seeks to maintain a mosaic of differently-aged trees and shrubs whilst retaining the open areas; this is achieved by coppicing
Coppicing
Coppicing is a traditional method of woodland management which takes advantage of the fact that many trees make new growth from the stump or roots if cut down. In a coppiced wood, young tree stems are repeatedly cut down to near ground level...
in rotation - cutting trees and shrubs back to their base - to benefit plants such as Primrose
Primula vulgaris
Primula vulgaris is a species of Primula native to western and southern Europe , northwest Africa , and southwest Asia...
and insects. The subsequent regrowth then provides nesting sites for birds. Open areas are regularly cut, preventing scrub from encroaching and encouraging species which thrive on open conditions. Ditches along the way keep the path dry and are important to wildlife. The Crawley Down Pond is managed by a local environmental group which initially began in 1999 with three or four members of the public collecting litter; it has now grown into a more substantial and organised collective which meets every third Sunday of the month (weather permitting) between September and May. Recent activities have included the installation of a new bank to prevent flooding.
Litter picks along the length of the Worth Way have been organised annually by Crawley Borough Council as part of their Let's FACE it campaign to clear fly-tipping
Fly-tipping
Fly-tipping is a British term for dumping waste illegally instead of in an authorised rubbish dump. It is the illegal deposit of any waste onto land, i.e...
and refuse dumped along the trail.
Development threat
In 2006 Mid-Sussex District Council floated the idea of constructing a 62 feet (18.9 m) wide concrete tunnel under the Worth Way which would carry a relief road for East Grinstead over the line of the trail. The tunnel, which would be built using the destructive cut-and-cover method, would form a two lane single carriageway, requiring a ¾ mile (1.6 km) section of the Way between Imberhorne Lane and East Grinstead stationEast Grinstead railway station
East Grinstead railway station serves the town of East Grinstead in West Sussex. The station was formerly divided into two levels: the higher level platforms serving the Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells Central Line, whilst the lower level platforms received services from the Oxted Line 49 km ...
car park to be converted into an A road linking with the A22 Beeching Way
A22 road
The A22 is one of the two-digit major roads in the south east of England. It carries traffic from London to Eastbourne on the East Sussex coast...
. The Worth Way Action Group was set up to fight the proposals and it achieved its goal in March 2007 when the scheme was dropped on the basis that its estimated costs of £157 million (representing £60,000 per East Grinstead dwelling) made it unviable.