Billingshurst

In the 2021 census, the population grew to 9,127. • Illustration — The High Street

• Official Name — Billingshurst • Area Total Km2 — 32.19 • Population — 8,232 • Population Ref — (2011) • Population Density — 256 /km2 • Os Grid Reference — TQ087259 • London Distance — 36 mi NNE • Civil Parish — Billingshurst • Shire District — Horsham • Shire County — West Sussex • Region — South East England • Country — England • Post Town — BILLINGSHURST • Postcode Area — RH • Postcode District — RH14 • Dial Code — 01403 • Constituency Westminster — Horsham • Website — Billingshurst Parish Council

Billingshurst itself as a settlement extends back to c. 800AD, with evidence of much earlier settlement within the area.

Billingshurst's name derives from Old English and means 'a wooded hill of Billa's people', most likely referring to the sandstone hillock that Saint Mary's Church is sited on in the historical centre of the village. 'Bill' is the head of a family, 'ing' means of the people, and 'hurst' means wooded hill. It is most likely that it was a small family settlement, not yet being a large community, headed by one 'Billa' – someone of unestablished origin, and not by a populous Saxon tribe.

The village has a secondary school and a sixth form college, known together as The Weald School. Billingshurst Primary Academy School (formerly separate infant and junior schools, amalgamated in 2010, and becoming an Academy in 2023) is situated near The Weald. The Women's Hall and Gardens founded in 1923 was given as a gift to the women of Billingshurst by Ellen and Edith Beck. In April 2016, plans were approved for a new housing development on the eastern side of the village, to include a spine road linking the A29 road north of the village with the A272 road to the east. 550 new homes were approved along with a school, dentists' surgery, play areas and improvements to the railway station.

Billingshurst is at the junction of the A29 and the A272 which are routes to Petworth, Petersfield, Haywards Heath, Pulborough and Bognor Regis. Billingshurst railway station on Station Road is on the line from London Victoria to Bognor Regis (Arun valley line) between Christ's Hospital railway station and Pulborough railway station. A half hourly southern service in each direction (London Victoria to Bognor Regis railway station) Monday to Saturday. Hourly on Sundays. Billingshurst signal box, one of the last surviving, was moved to Amberley working museum in 2014. The 100 Bus service (Horsham bus station to Burgess Hill church) serves the village with bus stops at Natts Lane, Station Road and the High Street. The southbound Burgess Hill service runs via places such as Pulborough and Storrington. The village is to the east of a remaining section of the Wey and Arun Canal; the canal has not been fully navigable since the 1890s.

Billingshurst has four churches. St Mary's Church (Church of England) is the oldest, with a mix of service styles, ranging from Book of Common Prayer communion services to informal family worship. Other churches are St Gabriel's Church (Catholic), Billingshurst Family Church (Evangelical; part of the Commission family of churches) and Trinity Church (United Reformed). Billingshurst Unitarian Chapel, set back behind the High Street, was founded in 1754 and is one of south-east England's oldest Nonconformist places of worship.

The local football team is Billingshurst FC based at Jubilee Fields on the western junction of the A29 and A272. The club was established in 1891 and is running senior sides and a youth section with teams running from Under 8's through to U16s.

• Edith Beck (1847–1930), suffragette and local philanthropist, lived in Billingshurst • Ellen Beck (1845–1940), suffragette and local philanthropist, lived in Billingshurst • Paul Darrow (1941–2019), actor and author, lived in Billingshurst • Diana Dors (1931–1984), actor, singer, and bombshell, lived in Billingshurst • Colonel John Downes, MP, (1609–c. 1666), Member of Parliament for Arundel during the Long and Rump Parliaments, Colonel, Auditor of the Duchy of Cornwall, lawyer, and Regicide of Charles I, lived in Billingshurst • Edward Enfield (1929–2019), television and radio presenter, newspaper journalist, and educational administrator, lived in Billingshurst • Harry Enfield (1961–), comedian, lived in Billingshurst • Israel Harding, VC, (1833–1917), gunner in the Royal Navy and recipient of the Victoria Cross, died in Billingshurst • Edgar Hubert, (1906–1985), abstract painter, born in Billingshurst • Henry Hylton, de jure 12th Baron Hylton, (1586–1641), English Baron, lived in Billingshurst • Janet Lees-Price (1943–2012), actress, lived in Billingshurst • Derrick Somerset Macnutt (1902–1971), crossword compiler and housemaster, lived and died in Billingshurst • Pom Oliver (1952–), filmmaker and arctic explorer, lived in Billingshurst • Frank Patterson (1871–1952), illustrator, lived in Billingshurst • Connor Swindells (1996–), actor, lived in Billingshurst • James Tilley (1998–), footballer, born and lived in Billingshurst and went to school in Billingshurst at The Weald School