Home / Local guides / Crawley
West Sussex · England
Spiritual Crawley
If you live in or near Crawley, this page brings the night sky, the old sites and the seasons together in one place. It covers where to find properly dark skies, what the sun and moon are doing across the year at Crawley's latitude (51.1°N), the heritage and folklore places nearby, and when to order so your crystals, tarot or candles arrive in time.
St Leonard's Forest. Photo: David Kemp, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Region West Sussex
- Dark skies Moore's Reserve (South Downs International Dark Sky Reserve)
- Delivery UK delivery £3.95, free over £40, 2–5 working days
Places to visit
Real photographs, with directions. Tap a map link to open the exact spot.
History, folklore and tips
The history
St Leonard's Forest, near Horsham, is a remnant of the ancient Weald forest. Ditchling Beacon, about 30 minutes south, is a Dark Sky Discovery Site in the South Downs.
Folklore and tradition
A pamphlet of 1614 described a dragon living in St Leonard's Forest, and tradition says St Leonard fought a dragon here, with lilies of the valley growing where his blood fell.
Visiting tips
- St Leonard's Forest has several small car parks and walking trails.
- Ditchling Beacon has a National Trust car park.
- New moon weeks are best for dark skies.
From the shop
Shop for Crawley
Dragons and fairies inspired by Sussex legend, delivered to Crawley. UK delivery £3.95, free over £40, 2–5 working days.
Sky almanac for Crawley
Dark skies and stargazing near Crawley
Dark skies and stargazing near Crawley
The nearest certified dark-sky place to Crawley is Moore's Reserve (South Downs International Dark Sky Reserve), about 46 km (29 miles) away as the crow flies. The next nearest is Cranborne Chase International Dark Sky Reserve, about 131 km (81 miles) away. The best nights are clear, moonless ones around a new moon. The next new moons are on 9 November, 9 December, 7 January, 6 February. Find event dates on the Moore's Reserve website.
Sunrise, sunset and the moon in Crawley
Sunrise, sunset and the moon in Crawley
At the June solstice on 21 June 2027, the sun rises in Crawley at about 04:45 and sets at about 21:19 (BST), giving 16h 34m of daylight, 4 minutes less than in London. At the December solstice on 21 December 2026 it rises at about 08:02 and sets at about 15:55 (GMT), giving only 7h 53m. Around the March equinox (20 March 2027), sunrise is about 06:06 and sunset about 18:12. Between roughly 26 May and 19 July, the sun never sinks far enough below the horizon for full astronomical darkness, so the faintest stars and the Milky Way are hard to see. In folk tradition the full moon marks the month. The next full moons fall on 24 November, 24 December, 22 January, 20 February, 22 March. Times are calculated (NOAA formulas) and approximate.
Best times of year
Best times of year
Most of the good stargazing near Crawley happens between October and March, when you do not have to stay up late for darkness.
For the Perseids in August 2027 the moon is 84% lit and sets over Crawley at about 01:15, so the best watching is after moonset and before dawn. Full darkness on 12 August starts around 22:53 at 51.1°N.
The Quadrantids peak on the night of 3–4 January 2027 with the moon 12% lit. They are short and sharp, best after midnight, and the January cold means layers and a flask are essential.
Moore's Reserve (South Downs International Dark Sky Reserve) is about 46 km away if you want truly dark skies; otherwise a park or field away from streetlights will still show the brighter meteors.
On 2 August 2027 a partial solar eclipse is visible across the UK, weather permitting. Never look at the sun without certified eclipse glasses.
Crawley: local questions
Where is the nearest dark sky reserve to Crawley?
The nearest certified dark-sky place is Moore's Reserve (South Downs International Dark Sky Reserve), roughly 46 km away in a straight line.
What time is sunrise in Crawley on the summer solstice?
About 04:45 BST on 21 June 2027, with sunset about 21:19.
Are there ancient or sacred sites near Crawley?
Yes. Nearby places include St Leonard's Forest dragon, Ditchling Beacon. See the heritage section for details.
How much is delivery to Crawley?
UK delivery to Crawley is £3.95 and free on orders over £40. Most orders arrive within 2–5 working days.
Photographs are from Wikimedia Commons under the licences shown, resized and converted for the web. Folklore is described as tradition. Starseed UK makes no health claims for any product.