Copthorne: a border village between Sussex countryside and Gatwick's orbit

Copthorne is a village in West Sussex, close to the Surrey border, between Crawley and East Grinstead. The village grew in a liminal landscape of commons, woodland and old routeways, and its name is first recorded in the 15th century. Copthorne later developed a reputation as a border settlement with a strong independent identity, and local tradition remembers both smuggling lore and early prize fights on Copthorne Common. At its centre stands St John the Evangelist, a Victorian church built in the 1870s through the patronage of the Lampson family.
Population: about 5,000 inhabitants.
Distance: about 5 miles east of Crawley, 3 miles west of East Grinstead and close to Gatwick Airport.
Traditions and culture: Copthorne has a strong village identity, centred on church life, schools, community events and the old Sussex border culture.
Highlights: St John the Evangelist Church, the historic village centre, nearby countryside walks and its convenient location between the Sussex Weald and the Gatwick-Crawley area.