A Timeline of Horsham

By Tim Lambert

1086 Horsham is a large village

13th Century Horsham grows into a little town with 2 weekly markets and an annual fair

1532 A grammar school is founded in Horsham

1560 Plague strikes Horsham

1574 Plague strikes Horsham again

1673 Horsham is described as a large borough town

1755 A turnpike road is built from Horsham to London

1791 Horsham gains its first bank

1801 Horsham has a population of 1,539

1836 Horsham is lit by gas

1848 The railway reaches Horsham

1866 A water company is formed

1878-79 Sewers are dug under Horsham

1892 The first hospital opens in Horsham

1894 Horsham is made an urban district council

1901 Horsham has a population of over 10,000

1902 Horsham gains electric street lighting

1910 The first cinema opens in Horsham

1929 A public library and museum opens

World War II Horsham suffers several bombing raids

1989 Piries Place Shopping Centre opens

1996 The Rising Universe sculpture is erected

1999 The old brewing industry in Horsham ends

2003 The Forum opens