Graylands
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Graylands | |
|---|---|
 Junction of Langhurstwood Road and Green Lane. | |
  Graylands Location within West Sussex | |
| OS grid reference | TQ178338 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Police | Sussex |
| Fire | West Sussex |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
Graylands is a hamlet in the Horsham district of West Sussex, England. The largely rural hamlet is located north of Holbrook beyond the A264. It is bordered by Langhurstwood Road to the west, Old Holbrook to the east, and Green Lane on its northern perimeter.
The name Graylands originates from Graylands Farm, an estate which was acquired in 1647 for the use of John Rowland of Horsham, consisting of "barns, buildings and land".[1] The estate was later administrated by diamond pioneer Henry Boyd Wallis until his death in 1908.[2] A medieval moat exists immediately north of Graylands Farm, named Graylands Moat. Ornamental trees cover the interior of the moat, whilst the ditches of the moat are waterlogged.[3]
Holbrook House falls within the eastern perimeter of the hamlet, build in an Italian Neoclassical architecture style. Robert Henry Hurst (senior), Member of Parliament for Horsham between 1832–1841 and 1844–1857, lived in the property. Apartments and residential housing now exist in this estate.[4]
The construction of the A264 North Horsham bypass in 1989 re-defined the boundaries of Graylands. The hamlet was no longer directly connected to Horsham proper due to the A road, insulating Graylands from any urban development. The rural nature of Graylands is currently at stake due to the planned land development in the area.[5]
