Bow Down And Worship Crawley Part 2
As I mentioned on my previous Bow Down blog post, I was doing March for March, Prostrate Cancer UK’s fundraising initiative to do eleven thousand steps on each day in March. I found myself on a day off on the 30th, and I’d set myself new targets for the month, to have put in over 300 miles and averaged twenty thousand steps per day for the month. And so, I needed a big day and so I set out to do the rest of Crawley’s places of worship.
It looked like an overcast day, but I set off without any jumper or jacket, thinking a lot of motion during the day would keep me warm. I went out the back of the close and along Malthouse Road, and over to go along Goff’s Park Road, before turning into Horsham Road and POW one of the day, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
The early part of the walk had the POWs well spread out, and I made my way to Broadfield, cutting through Scottish Islands, and London Palaces until I came to Christ The Lord Church on the end of the Barton, a multi denomination church, with Anglican, Roman Catholic, and Evangelical services held there.
Despite the overcast day, I was warm already, so there was a stop in Poundland to get a towel, and a drink, as I’d left mine on the bookcase next to the door on the way out in my eagerness to get walking. I’d not been down the Barton for a while and so was surprised to see The Imperial is now Grand Bay a Mauritian restaurant. The walk to Broadfield Islamic Centre and Mosque wasn’t too far.
I have to wonder about Crawley BC’s approach to pedestrians. On the map it looks straightforward, go along Pelham Drive, cross at the roundabout and onto Breezehurst. But there is no footpath or crossing to be found anywhere near the roundabout, either under, over, or across the road, so I dice with death and scuttle across on the grass verges. Then I trek down to the far end of Bewbush, through all the new towns and come to the Barn Church (St Mary Magdalene) a Grade II listed building.
It has to be said I haven’t walked through Bewbush as much as other parts of town, and so was winging it to go along the path through the park by the stream and to come out amongst Jupiter’s moons and other space related streets and over to Waterfield Gardens, and a high angle shot of Waterfield Primary school which acts as a POW for the non-denominational Crawley Family Church.
Then it was across the mill pond and up a couple of river named streets to come out opposite Gossops Green parade next to St Alban’s church, a locally listed building.
I was in an area where the POWs came thick and fast, less than a minute to get to Gossops Green Community Centre, which houses another non-denominational congregation — The Crawley Gatwick Church of Christ.
And it’s not far to the Crawley Spiritualist Church and Healing Centre sat behind the parade of shops.
Having been briefly spoiled, it’s at least a three-minute walk (rolls eyes) to St Theodore of Canterbury’s Church, and the Dominican Missionary Sisters building hidden behind it.
Time to cross the railway at Ifield station. Yes, I took photos of the tracks either way as I always feel compelled to do. The sun had come out now, and the towel was being put to good use. And by the time I got to Ifield parade another drink was in order, and a couple of minutes to sit down and rest the legs before I was off again. Next on the tour was Ifield Community Centre, home to The Salvation Army and The Powerhouse Revival Centre. There was a bit of drama there as an ambulance had pulled up after doing blues and twos down Ifield Drive to get there.
I carried on down Ifield Drive to get to the Elim Pentecostal, a building which used to house the Trinity Congregational Church.
From here I turned and headed to Ifield Green and the Grade I listed Ifield Friends Meeting House (Quakers). It’s a good job I try and proofread these things, as I had originally typed fiends meeting house.
I’m not a fan of doubling back on any walk, but the hundred yards or so of Langley Lane were necessary to get to the next church, and another Grade I listed building — St Margaret’s.
I left at the far end of it near the barn theatre as I’d missed a couple of buildings from my collection of listed buildings when on a previous walk around Ifield. As I was coming back, I thought I recognised the dulcet tones of one of the ladies from my writing group, but they’d already disappeared into the church. I took a slight detour for listed buildings, going up to the end of Tweed Lane, and into the new estate that surrounds number 37 Langley Lane, before coming out of the new estate at the roundabout and at the wonderfully ornate Sanatan Mandir.
It was getting towards lunchtime, and so I arranged with Helen to meet her for lunch at two at the Gatwick Manor, and so I was trying to get around all the Langley Green POWs beforehand. First up was Our Lady Queen Of Heaven Church on the corner of Stagelands, which I’ve commented on before as reminding me of a school gymnasium.
From there I turned and walked up Maiden Lane and distracted myself and added time to my journey by taking pictures of all the bird road names. At the top I turned and walked down Langley Drive, coming to the Noor Ahmadiyya Mosque, formerly the home of the Elim Pentecostal church, and to which they’ve added a nice minaret to the building.
Carrying on down Langley Drive to the shops I get to the Voice of Deliverance Full Gospel Church of God, a building that used to be St Leonard’s Church.
They had used to worship in the Anderson Shelter looking Church Hall next door, but that is now used by the SLMWAC.
I try to hurry up Martyrs Avenue, but I find that I’m not moving as quickly as when I started out. Plus, I can’t help myself by stopped to take a photo of Old Martyrs. Then it is the seemingly ever-expanding Langley Green Islamic Centre and Mosque.
The sun is shining as I carry on to Gatwick Manor, five minutes late, but still before Helen. We have a nice lunch before walking up to Lowfield Heath, dicing with death again to get across the road with no crossings at the roundabout, to get to St Michaels and All Angels Church (not angles as I typed the first time), the home of the Seventh Day Adventists, and a Grade II* listed building.
We walk back to Gatwick Manor, and I have a bit of a cheat as I get Helen to drop me off at Northgate Parade. There isn’t a lot of motion required here. I could have stood in one spot near the car park and just spun around to take photos of the next four POWs. First is the large St Paul’s Methodist church on the other side of Woodfield Road.
Then there is the Northgate Community Centre, home to the Solution Chapel International.
Next to it is the Northgate Kingdom Hall of the Jehovah Witnesses.
And next to that is St Elizabeth’s church, now home to the Louise Ryrie School of dance.
After being spoiled for choice, there is a walk required again, and I head to West Green for the final few of the day. The first being the Crawley Baptist Church on Crabtree Road.
I carry on up and around to come to the Charis Centre, home to the Crawley Community Church.
Then on the corner is the Crawley Centre, belonging to Age UK, and home for the Crawley Assemblies of God Church, not one that was on my list when I set out in the morning, but it pays to keep your eyes open.
I cut through the hospital grounds and came to St Peter’s, the Gothic revival, Victorian built church which is locally listed.
Then, trying to avoid retracing steps as much as possible (Lowfield Heath can’t really be helped), I went down Victoria Road, through Asda’s car park and out onto Spencers Road where the Siri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara lived. I say lived as there has been much acrimony about the ownership and the congregation has been forcibly removed. What I didn’t realise is that I saw the back of the Crawley Gurdwara Ifield Green when on Tweed Lane, so there was one POW missed.
Not much further down Spencers Road is the former Salvation Army Citadel, now some kind of warehouse.
And that marks the end of POWs for the day, I walked up Horsham Road, crossing over my tracks back at church one for the day, and headed up Chanctonbury Way, admiring all the houses I can’t afford, and trudged the last part of the way home, knees screaming at me, but it was a good steps day, ending up with over 55k for the day, which enabled me to hit the two targets for the month with a leisurely 15k on the 31st.
Postscript 1. On my Bow Down walk one, I walked past three POWs that I failed to mention or picture. Oriel School has meetings of the Kingdom Faith Church; Tree House houses the Exodus Pentecostal community, and the church hall to St John’s hosts the Potter’s House Church.
Postscript 2. I tried to get every POW in Crawley in on the two walks. However, there was the aforementioned Crawley Gurdwara Ifield Green that I missed on the day. Then there is the Plymouth Brethren’s Meeting Room on Povey Cross Road, which I’ve always struggled to find, and is properly out of the way for any walk. Then there is the former Touchwood Chapel in Fernhill, again, massively out of the way. And finally, there are the chapel and prayer rooms at the Airport.
For other posts on finding historic Crawley, click on the link below to the list I’ve set up.
If you liked this post, follow me or get on my email list for future posts. Some may even be more enjoyable than this one.
And if you are not a member, consider subscribing to Medium to support my writing and discover lots of other great writers, posts, and articles, including those I have already published here.
