The opening on 21 September 1841 of Hassocks Gate station (named after the nearby toll gate on the turnpike road to Brighton, but now known simply as Hassocks) on the London to Brighton railway saw the beginning of the village that we know today.
Today Hassocks has a variety of independent shops including several cafes, specialist shops like the long established delicatessen, an optician, general hardware store & a couple of restaurants (Indian and Chinese) and a well-used community centre called Adastra Hall.