A small town¹ sitting astride the A29 in West Sussex. The A29 dates from Roman times and is known as Stane Street. Stane Street, as it passes through Billingshurst, must rank as one of the least straight Roman roads in the country.

The town is supposed to get its name from the Roman engineer in charge of building Stane Street², which ran from Chichester to London, entering the latter at Billingsgate³. However, many historians discount this as pure fabrication⁴.

The town/village is well supplied with schools and sports facilities, but does not offer much for those dedicated to getting their pleasure without exerting themselves. The surrounding countryside is well worth a look if you like walking, giving a nice mixture of woodland and farms criss-crossed by public footpaths.

To live in Billingshurst, it is best to have your own set of wheels, as it is as yet untouched by Mr. Prescott's brave new world of public transport. The ridiculously named 'main line' station gets slightly less (or is that fewer?) than one train an hour, and the bus services don't go anywhere worth going, unless you count the service provided by Tesco to get you to their store at nearby Broadbridge Heath.

Celebrities⁵ you might spot at the shops include: